Recipe for Reunion
by msd1423daly
Summary: A re-write of Recipe for Disaster. I have re written this episode because some aspects just did not sit well with me, the first chapter is the re write of the episode and the following chapters will be where the story takes me. Hope you enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Recipe for Reunion

I struggled during Season 2 of Beauty and the Beast for a variety of reasons and while I can acknowledge that drama needs conflict. I also think the writers of S2 did not fully understand the relationship between Catherine and Vincent and clearly did not understand the character of Catherine Chandler as we fans understood her after S1. I have watched every episode multiple times and some of the actions of V and C just felt off to me. So to get through this LONG hiatus, I find myself rewriting some aspects of the episodes that did not ring true for me, sometimes it's just a quick one shot and other times the story continues. So come along as I re-write Recipe for Disaster, which I felt should be a Recipe for REUNION.

Chapter 1

"Did I call to late?"

Vincent is trying to be quiet as to not wake up Tori.

Catherine takes the phone into the bedroom as she replies.

"No, just hosting a cooking party what's up?"

Vincent smiles to himself, with most if not all, of his memories back, he can't ever remember Catherine being a big cook.

"Cooking huh, how's it going?'

There is laughter in his voice. Catherine is taken back a bit, she has not heard him this way in a long while.

"Be nice, I can cook…you never…"

She stops because she was going to say, he never complained before because they were busy doing other things. It was so easy to slide back into her feelings for him when he was teasing her. But he was with Tori now and she had to let go.

"Sorry, I called, because I was looking through Rebecca's journal and I think I have an idea, she describes the place she is looking for as a dudgeon and she gives some landmarks, maybe we could find a map from that time period and see if we can track her movements."

"A Dungeon in NY? Talk about a needle in a haystack…"

An alarm goes off and Catherine quickly hangs up telling Vincent that they can talk later.

Vincent's is shocked at his first reaction which is to race over there….then he realizes she doesn't need him like that anymore. His second reaction is to smile again at the thought of her racing around her kitchen, smoke pouring from her oven….. Then he tenses up as he senses Tori come down the stairs.

In that moment Vincent recognizes the difference in his feelings for Catherine versus Tori. He has a moment of regret and then bolsters himself to deal with Tori.

"Let me guess, it was Catherine."

Vincent resigned to her jealousy admits that it was. He argues with Tori that Catherine is trying to help them find the gem and get Dana off their trail. He tells her that Catherine is putting herself a great risk to help them. Tori is not buying it a bit.

"Catherine is helping you Vincent, not us!"

Vincent hangs his head, wishing it were true.

"Look I'm sorry, what do you want me to say?"

Tori worried about losing Vincent says.

"Tell me you don't still think about her, tell me you don't want to be back with her."

"Tori she is just trying to help, all I want is to find the gem and get Agent Landon off our backs."

As Vincent heads back upstairs, Tori realizes that Vincent did not answer her questions.

Vincent doesn't know what he wants and that is the problem. When he talks with Catherine, it's so easy and all the old feelings come rushing back, but they are mixed with guilt for not trusting her and going after her Father on his own and how he turned to Tori after Catherine shot him. He carried a lot anger at everyone and at Catherine for so long, but after she was held hostage, and they worked together, it was so easy and now that anger is gone. What is left is something else.

Vincent can feel that there will be a reckoning soon, things cannot continue on the path they are on. This path does not feel right to Vincent anymore, Tori does not feel right, this is not his true path, but he can't see a way back.

Vincent and Tori are late to JT's party celebrating his grant. As they enter, Vincent makes a beeline for Catherine, Gabe and Tess. Tori senses his heart race, when he sees Catherine.

"Sorry we are late, what did we miss?"

Catherine looks happy to see them and compliments Tori on her dress.

"Nothing we are just waiting on JT."

Vincent turns to Gabe and starts talking about the gem and the dudgeon. Which of course is the first Tori is hearing about it. She can't believe that Vincent has been talking to everyone about the gem and had not mentioned anything about it to her. Although to be honest she doesn't really care about it. She just doesn't like the idea of Vincent spending any more time with these people. She feels alone and outside of the tight knit group.

JT arrives and hugs everyone, included an awkward hug with Tori. That is the final straw for her and she excuses herself.

Vincent takes off after her, clearly annoyed and Catherine watches him leave, feeling sorry for him. He does not seem happy at all.

"Tori what is going on?"

Tori turns on Vincent.

"Why don't you tell me…..Oh I know because you don't share anything with me, even though this gem has just as much to do with me as it does them, even more so since it obviously fits into the collar that I own."

Tori is right and Vincent can't really explain why he has not shared any of this with her.

"I'm sorry…."

Tori cuts him off.

"You keep saying that Vincent, but you're not really. Remember I can hear your heartbeat and I can sense how you feel about Catherine. Why don't you just admit it?"

Vincent stands there, head down trying to think of what to say to her. He does not want to hurt her and he feels responsible for her, she has no one else.

"Tori, this is hard for me to explain, but this doesn't feel right anymore, I am not sure if it ever really felt right. I was so angry at Catherine's Dad for destroying my life and taking away my memories, that for a while I didn't FEEL anything! Your effect on me only made that worse, when I am around you it changes everything. The way I think, the way I feel, but it's not right, this is not who I am.

Tori stands there, and can sense that Vincent is telling the truth.

"Vincent that is not my fault, I can't control the effect I have on you, I need you and don't want to lose you. You are all I have."

"I know that Tori and I think that is part of the problem. I can't be everything for you. What is going on with me and between us, is not real. You are holding on to me because you are afraid and I….."

Tori's knows she shouldn't push him that she won't like the answer but she can't help it.

"You what Vincent….what is it."

"I still love Catherine….the more time I spend with her looking for this gem, I can feel the old me wanting to surface, and I want to do the right thing for you, but this is not who I am."

He knows he has said this before, but.

"I'm sorry, I think you need to find someplace else to stay until I can figure out what is going on."

As Vincent heads back inside JT's, Tori knows what Vincent really means. He means so he can get away from her and find his way back to Catherine.

JT is just on his way out.

"Hey where you going?"

JT with a huge smile on his face.

"Going to check out my new lab, wanna come?"

Vincent explains that he has stuff to do and will catch up with JT later.

Vincent approaches the bar and his heart begins to race when he sees Catherine talking to Gabe and Tess. As he approaches Catherine sees him coming, smiles at him and asks if he is ok.

"Not really, things are kind of a mess."

Everyone is headed back to the precinct to start working, but Catherine stays to talk to Vincent.

"What's the matter?" Catherine asks concern for him written so clearly on her face.

Vincent is taken aback by how open she seems to him, after all that he has done. But that is the Catherine he remembers, she never stops caring for those she loves or loved in his case. He thinks about telling her everything is fine, but decides to trust the truth.

"I broke things off with Tori, lately everything has just felt wrong, being around her doesn't just amplify my powers, it affects everything about me, how I think and feel and I know it's not real. I feel responsible for her and she is just afraid to be alone."

Vincent takes a huge risk and tells Catherine even more.

"I think it's you."

Catherine looks surprised.

"Me!"

"Yes the more time I spend with you, the less time I spend with Tori and I can feel the difference, when I am with you guys I feel normal, when I am with her, it's like I am not in my own skin."

Catherine can see Vincent's struggle, but his betrayal is too recent and her heart is too tender to really hear what he is saying. So she does what she does best, focus on the work and not her emotions.

"I'm sorry Vincent, why don't you head back to your boat and grab Rebecca's files and meet all of us back at the precinct and we will see if we can follow Rebecca's trail."

Catherine leaves. Vincent closes his eyes as she walks away. He is standing there the pain he is feeling on his face, he make no attempt to hide it. What he doesn't see is Catherine looking back at him over her shoulder and the way her expressions softens as it recognizes the pain he is in, it mirrors the pain she has been feeling for months.

JT meanwhile has gotten himself in some trouble. Poor guy, he did not win a grant, what he did win was a one way trip to a dudgeon, one already currently occupied. He wakes up to see a very unkempt bushy faced guy in a cage talking to himself. JT is shackled to the floor and his arm is wrapped up, at some point he had been wounded.

"Well I wondered when you were going to wake up."

The man a tall distinguished looking gentleman all decked out in a suit enters the room and explains to JT that he wants him to create a serum to make beasts. JT tries unsuccessfully not to cooperate, and offers up his life instead, but the gentleman. A Mr. Tony Barnes, threatens to shoot the guy in the cage and JT quickly gives in.

Vincent meanwhile returns home to find Tori has moved her stuff out. (Thankfully) but Agent Landon is sitting in his living room, demanding to know what he knows about the gem. She also tells him that she knows there is something different about him, but she knows he is a good man. She asks him to trust her and he does. Showing her HOW different he really is. They are talking about the gem when Catherine shows up at the boat.

"Vincent, have you seen JT?"

"No, isn't he at his lab?"

Catherine's phone beeps, she reads the text coming through.

"No and he is not at the Gentleman's club either. Gabe and Tess are there and there is no sign of him. We all got an email and I think JT has been kidnapped."

Vincent shoots to his feet.

"What? What do they want?"

Catherine showing him the email says.

"You…Whoever sent this knows about Beasts, Vincent, but they don't know WHO any beasts are or the email would not have been sent to everyone."

Vincent is in a panic.

"I have to find him, I have to save him."

Catherine grabs Vincent's arm.

"You can rush in there, it's obviously a trap."

Vincent is angry.

"Hell yes it's a trap, they want a beast and I am a beast, for God's sake Catherine, JT thinks he won a grant, I can't just sit here and let them hurt him."

Agent Landon adds.

"But why would they want you if they didn't think they could control you, you said the gem had properties that could suppress your Beast side, and you can't just walk in there."

"Watch me."

Catherine stands her ground and Vincent growls at her.

"You are not going into this alone, Vincent…Don't you growl at me, I am not afraid of you….You track JT, I will come along as back up and WE will come up with a plan to get JT once we know where he is."

She turns to Dana.

"Can you head to the precinct with Rebecca's file and help narrow down our search, I will stay in contact with you via phone."

She turned back to Vincent.

"Let's go!"

Just as they reach the door, Vincent's cell rings…..its Tori.

"Tori I can't talk right now, JT has been kidnapped and Catherine and I are headed out to find him."

Tori explains that she can help, she saw JT leave the Gentleman's Club and can track him, but once again Vincent blows her off.

Tori believes this is her chance to show Vincent that he needs her. She heads to the Gentleman's Club to track JT.

Meanwhile, Vincent has to follow the trail that Barnes has left for him and it takes him longer to find JT than it does Tori, who is able to track JT directly.

JT is close to mixing the final ingredients into the test tube when Tori bursts in, he is so glad to see her, he gives her a real hug this time. As she goes to free his leg chain she is shot with a tranq dart.

Barnes puts the gem around Tori's neck and takes her to her own cell. There he collects her blood….all of it.

Barnes delivers the blood to JT and tells him to add it to the serum.

JT does and the blood red serum is ready to be tested.

Catherine and Vincent are tracking JT across town. Catherine is on the phone with Dana who is describing a warehouse with a smoke stack, once the trail leads them there Vincent wants to rush in alone.

"Vincent we have to go in together."

But there is no way that Vincent is risking Catherine's life on top of JT's.

"I can blur in there and grab JT and be out before you know it. You will slow me down in there. I am sorry Catherine, wait here for Tess and JT, if I am not out in 10 min with JT then when you have back up come and get me. I will not have you put yourself at risk for me."

He blurs away before she can argue with him.

She looks down at her watch.

"The clock is ticking Keller…."

"JT…..JT"

JT lifts his head, hearing Vincent call his name is the sweetest sound he has heard today.

"In here…hurry."

Vincent comes through the doorway and there is a man hug to end all man hugs.

"Are you OK? Vincent asks. "Who is this?' Vincent approaches the cage holding the bushy faced prisoner.

"Some dude that has been down here a lot longer than me! And I am fine, but they have Tori!"

Vincent rips the door off of the prisoner's cell.

"Tori?"

JT now understands that Vincent did not send her to rescue him.

"Yes, Tori she burst in here and then got shot with a tranq gun. I don't know where she is."

Vincent tells JT to get out and find Catherine, who is waiting outside, he will be right out once he gets Tori.

"Do not let Catherine come in here." He yells as he takes off deeper into the dungeon.

Vincent finds Tori, she is still alive, but barely. He can sense that her heart beat is fading.

"Tori, hey Tori can you hear me, It's Vincent."

He rips the IV line out of her arm, he touches her forehead.

She responds, moving her head towards the sound of his voice.

"Vincent?"

"Yeah Tori it's me, I am going to get you out of here, we need to get you to the hospital."

He tries to pick her up, but she cries out in pain.

"It's too late, Vincent, I am sorry."

Vincent can hear her heart stutter, it is struggling to beat with the little bit of blood left in her body. He grabs her hands. They are ice cold. Not even his beast could blur away fast enough to get Tori to the hospital in time.

"Tori, I am sorry, I should have protected you." His voice broke.

Tori was struggling to stay with him. It was important that he not blame himself for this, even in the short time she has known him, she knows he feels things deeply. He did the best he could, given how messed up everything is.

"Vincent it is ok, I screwed this up, not you. You don't belong here in the darkness, Vincent, you belong in the light… you belong with Catherine."

Tori felt a weight being lifted off of her, as she smiled at Vincent, his face being the last thing she saw before everything went black.

The door slammed shut and Tony Barnes was smiling at Vincent.

JT and a scruffy looking guy came running out of the building.

"JT!" Catherine grabbed him in a hug. "Where is Vincent?"

"Still inside, looking for Tori."

"Tori?"

"She came to rescue me, but got caught instead."

Catherine's hand instinctively went to her gun as she started for the building.

"Catherine, wait! Vincent did not want you going in after him."

She turned back to JT and glared at him. He looked chastised and waived his hands.

"Go ahead, I will wait here for Tess and Gabe."

Catherine took off into the building. She could hear Vincent roaring and the sound of him slamming against something.

As she turned the corner she saw Vincent in a cage and a man pointing a gun at him. Catherine did not hesitate, she pulled her weapon and fired. The man dropped to the floor and she could see Vincent step back thinking he had been shot. He quickly returned to his human self as she ran to open the door.

Catherine stopped as she unbolted the cell door and saw Tori, pale and unmoving on a slab. She looked at Vincent as he turned and called Tori's name.

"Tori?...Tori?" Vincent checked for a pulse even though he could tell she was dead. He felt so bad, he was responsible for her and he let her down. He let everyone down. He hung his head and put his hand on Tori's head. "I'm sorry" He whispered….

Catherine, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment, left Vincent along to mourn.

Tess and Gabe showed up along with an ambulance to transport Tori's body and their unknown prisoner to the hospital.

Vincent still had not come out, worried about him, Catherine went to find him. She found him alone in the cell, he was staring at the ceiling and a set of claw marks.

Vincent senses Catherine's approach, it shocks him, now that Tori is dead, his head is clear and his heart, while heavy with guilt over what has happened is also clear.

"Are you ok?" Catherine asks the questions although she already knows the answer.

"No, she was just trying to help, she never should have been here."

Catherine placed her hand on Vincent's arm.

"She did help, if she had not been here, Barnes would have gotten to you and you would not have saved JT. Her death means something Vincent. Don't take that away from her."

"She wasn't trying to be a hero, she was trying to fix things between us. She did not deserve what happened to her."

"Vincent you did not ask her to come here, you are not responsible for this."

Vincent looked at Catherine, all his old feelings for her are flooding to the surface, yet he knows this is not the time or the place.

"This is why I pushed you away at first, bad things happen around me and people get hurt. I was so afraid that something like this would happen to you. I don't think I could handle that. You gave me a choice Catherine and I made the wrong one. I turned my back on my humanity and I took Tori down this path and it killed her. I am dangerous." He turned to look at the claw marks. "Just like him."

Catherine's heart ached for Vincent, all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and comfort him, but the time for them had passed.

"How do you know Rebecca didn't save him?"

He looked at her.

"How do you know she didn't die trying?"

They stared at each other, each one wanting to comfort the other one, but both unsure of how…..

Gabe showed up and told Vincent that he would try to contain what had happened here. Vincent thanked him and took off. The pain from Tori's death and this distance from Catherine tearing at his insides.

Catherine watched Vincent leave, her heart aching for him. She wanted to race after him, but he needed time and space to grieve Tori.

"Do you want to be alone?" Gabe asked her.

Catherine looking after Vincent said.

"No but I don't seem to have much choice." She headed out to find Tess leaving Gabe standing there alone.

JT knocks on Vincent's door. Vincent answers in his bathrobe, looking like crap. JT holds up the scotch he has brought with him.

"You look like you could use a drink."

Vincent opens the door wider and gestures JT inside.

"I am not very good company right now JT."

JT looks at his friend, he can tell Vincent is grieving, he just wonders exactly what or who he is grieving for.

"Well it doesn't matter, because you saved my life, so now all I can do to repay you is save yours, but since that is highly unlikely, this will have to do." He says, holding up the bottle of 18 yr. old single malt.

Vincent plops down on his chair as JT get the glasses and they argue a bit about who is the most responsible for all the bad stuff that has happened. JT pours Vincent a shot and swallowing hard says.

"Actually I am the one who started all this."

Vincent's head snaps up, he can sense how upset JT is right now, his heart is racing.

"I am the one who volunteered you for Murfield….with the hopes of keeping you safe in battle, but that is not how things turned out….. obviously." JT swallows nervously again, not sure how Vincent is going to take this news.

Vincent stares at JT for a long hard minute, his eyes are moist.

"You're right you win"

Vincent lifts his glass and drains the scotch and holds it up for a refill.

JT looking relieved, fills it up.

"Glad that is settled." He says softly

Vincent slams back the second shot and lets JT off the hook.

"You may have given them my name JT, but I am the one who said yes to the experiment, they and by default, you did not force me into anything. Tori on the other hand, she didn't ask for what she was….she was born that way. She just never learned to live with it…..maybe that is just not possible."

"Of course it is Vincent, you have, you are…..What about all the people you have saved? Tess and Catherine and me, my God, Catherine would have died 10 years ago without you, so you get credit for all the people she has saved as well!"

Vincent offered JT a slight smile, and that was all the encouragement that he needed. JT stood up and raised his glass.

"To Tori, may she find the peace she deserves, she saved my life and I will be forever grateful,"

Vincent touched at his best friends words also stood up and raised his glass.

"To Tori"

As the amount of scotch he had consumed hit him, Vincent sat back down heavily. He rubbed his face and smiled at JT.

JT with a big ole grin on his face said.

"Looks just like old times, me and you buddy."

Vincent deadpans right back.

"You are not living here."

oe dHow


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Catherine was worried about Vincent, she had not heard from him in a couple of weeks and she dreaded contacting him to tell him that Tony Barns is NOT Tony Barnes and that the mastermind behind JT's kidnapping was still very much alive with very little known about him. She had been working with Dana and Sam Landon trying to find out who was responsible for Sam's kidnapping 5 years ago, but was not having any luck. She had to talk to Vincent, she could not put it off any longer.

JT is having no luck getting Vincent off of his couch.

"I know you feel bad about Tori, but Vincent you need to get off of this couch and move on with your life. The bad guy is gone and you are a free man. You can do whatever you want! The question is….what do you want."

"JT it's not that easy man."

"Why not? Look at me, I am seizing the day and ordering flowers for Tess."

Vincent is surprised.

"Tess? When did that happen?"

JT is uncomfortable.

"Thanksgiving, but that is not important, what is important is I almost died so I am seizing the day!" You have a fresh start too, so instead of moping around this houseboat, seize the day! Tori would not want you to sit here and wallow."

Of course JT had no idea what Tori would want but still…..

"Tori is not the only reason I am sitting here JT, do you know her last words to me were 'You belong with Catherine'."

JT is speechless…..well sort of…..

"Catherine…..you belong with Catherine?"

"Yeah how crazy is that, no matter how I feel, I can't just walk up to her and tell her I love her."

JT is still sort of speechless.

"Love her…wait…..WHAT?"

JT takes a deep breathe.

"OK you need to start at the beginning."

Vincent knowing that his best friend will not leave well enough alone explains.

I barely understood what happened JT. I tried to explain to Tori that what we had was not real, it was just pheromones, but she did not believe me. We slept together, once and it was not good, it was angry and lustful, there was no emotion in it. When it was over, I felt dirty, but she thought it meant we were meant for each other and let's face it, after Catherine shot me, it was pretty clear we were done and Tori stood by me when no one else would. After that it did not matter what I said, she thought we were a couple, that we were destined to be together because we were the only two beasts left."

"Before Tori died I broke things off with her, it just didn't feel right, the more time I spent with Catherine looking for the gem; the more I started to feel like the old me. Tori's power changed everything about me, the way I thought and acted, I felt so aggressive all the time. My head knew that it wasn't right and so did my heart, but my instinct was in the way for a while. The moment Tori died it was like a fog lifted and I could feel again. And right away, right up front is Catherine. So I am sitting here on this couch trying to figure out what to do next."

JT is shocked, but oh so happy for Vincent.

"You have to tell her how you feel Vincent."

Vincent gives JT the "look".

"Exactly what am I supposed to say JT.? Gee sorry I slept with Tori, tried to kill your father, didn't trust you and hurt you more than I can imagine, but I love you now?"

JT, whose stomach over turned at the mere idea of Vincent sleeping with Tori said.

"You might not want to start with Gee or mention the sleeping with Tori."

Vincent shook his head.

"She is better off without me, JT, she deserves to be happy and I cannot make her happy, so I am going to sit on this couch and let her live her life."

This is not how the story ends and JT is determined to make sure of that.

Vincent can sense Catherine as she approaches the houseboat.

"Vincent are you home?"

She opens the door and Vincent's heart clenches when he sees her.

"Right here."

Catherine loses her thoughts for a second, he has always had the ability to rob her of breath. Seems like some things never change. He looks tired and haunted. She thinks that Tori's death has really hurt him.

"I am sorry to bother you but there are a few things you should know." Taking a deep breathe she tells him. "Tony Barnes is not Tony Barnes, he was Frank Darnell posing as Tony Barnes, and also the other prisoner is Sam Landon.

Vincent's head cocks to the side at this news.

"Dana's husband?"

"Yes, he was held prisoner for years and it's a long story, but the bottom line is the man who orchestrated JT's kidnapping is still very much alive and out there and while you recovered the gem, we did not get the serum JT made, so he may have a way to make beasts."

"I am sorry to bother you with this right now, but I need your help Vincent. I am hoping you can see what you can pick up in the dungeon, I know it might be painful for you to go back there, but that is the last place we know Tony Barnes was. Or at least there might be something there that leads to him."

So much for keeping my distance, Vincent thinks to himself.

Vincent is trying to concentrate on anything other than Catherine, but it is increasingly difficult the more time they spend down here. She is quiet and keeping her distance, but he can hear her heartbeat and a small part of him is happy that whenever she looks at him it speeds up a little.

Catherine is trying to focus on anything other than Vincent, but she can't. He seems back to himself now that Tori's influence is gone. Seeing him act like his old caring self, hurts more than she would like to admit. She misses him. But a part of her does not trust that it will last.

"There are too many scents down here, I can't pick out who to track. I can tell you this place is bigger than it looks. There is a weird echo in here. I also think you should call JT down here to take a look at all this science stuff."

Catherine standing in the middle of all the lab equipment thinks that is a great idea.

"Maybe you can come with me to talk to Sam, see if he knows anything more about this place, now that he has had some time to think?"

Spending more time with Catherine is not going to be easy for him, but he can't say no to her either.

"Sure whatever you need."

"I am sorry Catherine, I was not really paying attention to details over the last 5 years. I can tell you that there were a few people who would come in frequently and of course there were the others that Barnes/Darnell would experiment on. I don't know where they came from, but I don't think that they ever left…..."

"We will put you with a sketch artist later to see if you can id anyone. Sam, why did they kidnap you, what did you find out? Did they experiment on you? What does an archeologist have that they could want?"

"5 years ago, I was on a dig in Ireland. I came across some cave drawings that seemed to show human's transforming into beasts. I also came across a skeleton that was of human origin but not exactly Homo sapiens. I thought maybe I had discovered another ancestor to modern humans, but I never got the chance to find out because it was stolen along with some other artifacts."

Vincent is shocked by the mention of the skeleton.

"What other artifacts did you find?"

"There was a shackle around the skeleton's neck, and the shackle appeared to have an oval space in it, it was shortly after I found it that I was kidnapped."

Catherine and Vincent look at each other. Catherine promises to get back in touch with Sam soon.

Outside in the car, Catherine and Vincent are trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

"Call JT we need to be together to talk about this."

Back at JT's Cat and Vincent tell JT about Sam.

"How in the heck did Tori's Dad end up with the skeleton and shackle that Sam found. Why kidnap Sam along with the skeleton?"

"I don't know JT, but I can tell you this, Sam was not being truthful with you Catherine, I don't know what he is hiding but he is hiding something."

"It doesn't make sense to kidnap Sam and keep him alive all this time just because he knew about the skeleton, they obviously had no problem killing people, why not just kill him and be done with it."

It felt just like old times, Catherine looked at JT and Vincent arguing and theorizing about Sam, her heart felt full being around the two of them. She needed to put some distance between her and Vincent or she was going to get hurt again. She loved him and that would never change, but loving him did not mean that she could be with him.

"I have to go, I have an early day tomorrow."

Catherine abruptly grabbed her coat.

"Thanks for your help today, I think I can take it from here."

She took off out of JT's place before either Vincent or JT could react.

JT and Vincent stared at the door she had just left out of and then looked at each other.

"What was that about?" Asked JT

Catherine raced home and slammed the door shut behind her. If only she could shut her heart as easily.

Catherine wasn't lying, she did have court this morning. She arrived at the courthouse determined to put on a bright smile and not think about Vincent.

"Catherine!" Someone yelled her name.

She turned and saw Michael one of the DA's heading her way. He smiled at her.

"Hey how is it going?"

Smile….Catherine reminded herself.

"Great, what's up?"

Catherine had known Michael for years, he was a bit of a player, but he was a sweetheart and one of the good guys.

"I was wondering if you had any plans for this weekend, I know it seems sudden running into you like this and asking, but I knew you were going to be here today." He shrugged his shoulders.

Catherine was stunned, Michael had always flirted with her before, but she had either been with Deke or with Vincent so had never taken him seriously. But she realized….I am single now so why not. Maybe this was just what she needed to get over Vincent.

"I don't have any plans this weekend, Michael what were you thinking?"

"There is a Valentine dance this Saturday, I'd like you to be my date?

Valentine's Day! Catherine thought back to last year when Vincent was making amends after the Alex mess. It seemed so long ago, so much had happened between them since then.

Michael had been standing there waiting for a response from her for a few minutes when she realized she'd just been staring off into space.

"It's ok, you probably already have plans…"

"No Michael, I am sorry, just a bit foggy today"….she nervously laughed…A dance sounds like fun, how about I cook dinner first?"

"What were you thinking, saying yes to Michael and offering to cook him dinner?" Tess is shocked that Catherine would agree to date anyone right now.

"I don't even know how it happened, he reminded me it was Valentine's Day and then I started thinking about last year and Vincent and then I realized I had been standing there like an idiot while he waited for me to say something, so I overcompensated."

"I would say so….Yes to Michael, that boy has been after you for years."

Catherine pulled herself together and shoved her shoulders back.

"Maybe this is what I need, no beasts, no Vincent and a chance to move on with my life."

Tess looked at her sideways.

"Is that really what you want, no more Vincent?"

Catherine could not fool Tess.

"What I want is my Vincent back, what I want is the last 6 months of our life back, but I can't have that. Vincent is a beast and he always will be and how can I trust that he won't run off after the next she beast that shows up. I have to find something else, or someone else, Tess, I won't survive if I let Vincent back in and he hurts me again."

Tess gave Catherine a hug.

"I understand and I am sorry you are hurting like this, I hope Michael is a standup guy and that you have a great Valentine's Day."

The phone rings. Tess answers and as she listens her face changes and she grabs at Catherine's coat.

"We are on our way.'

Catherine asks the first think that is always on her mind.

"What is it, is Vincent ok?"

Tess sadly replies, while thinking to herself that Catherine will never be over Vincent.

"Vincent is fine. Dana has been attacked at her home. Sam is with her now, she is ok, but he wants us there right way. He asked for Vincent too."

The ambulance left just as Vincent arrived. Sam wanted to wait until he was there to fill Catherine and Tess in on why he called them all there.

"First off I am sorry I lied to you yesterday. You have to understand I was trying to protect Dana, I have always been trying to protect Dana." He took her hand in his. "But now I am afraid I need help."

Sam took a deep breath.

"The part about finding the skeleton and the shackle yesterday was true. The part I left out was that they had not held me in that cage or even here in NY all these years. I have been all over the world looking for similar artifacts and proof that beasts exist."

Dana is shocked.

"All this time and you never tried to escape or reach out to me, My God Sam, I am FBI I would have moved heaven and earth to find you."

Sam brings her hand up to his mouth and places a kiss. He smiles at her.

"I know that and that is why I agreed to help them, this organization is huge Dana, they would have killed you and I could not live with that. So I agreed to help them as long as they left you alone."

Sam nodded his head at Vincent and Catherine.

"Now that you rescued me, and now that Dana has been attacked, they have sent me a message that they are not going to leave her or us alone. I have to do something, I don't know what but Catherine and Vincent I need you to protect my wife. You are the only ones who can."

Vincent and Catherine looked at each other….Tess looked at both of them and rolled her eyes.

Catherine spoke first.

"Sam maybe protective custody or witness relocation would be a better idea, it is asking an awful lot of Vincent….."

Vincent jumped in.

"It's no problem I can do this."

Sam was quick to accept Vincent's offer.

I don't want witness protection, I don't want Dana to have to give up her life, and I just need time to figure out who they are and how to stop them."

Vincent pulled Catherine off to the side.

"I can do this Catherine, beasts and skeletons and shackles, this has nothing to do with you, I got this, and you don't have to be involved. JT and I can work with Sam and figure all this out."

Catherine wanted to stay, wanted to fight side by side with Vincent, but those days were lost and being around him was just too painful.

Vincent wanted Catherine to fight him to stay involved, he wanted to see that fire in her eyes when she was protecting people she cared about, like she used to look at him. He could tell right away that was not going to happen. She dropped her head and gave in. It felt like a punch to the gut, he was responsible for this change in her, he had stomped out the fire in her, and he had broken her.

"Fine, sounds like you have it handled, Tess lets go."

Once again Catherine grabbed her coat and took off.

Vincent feeling cold and empty, went back to Sam and Dana to work out the details.

Before heading home, he stopped off a Catherine's and from her fire escape made sure she was home safe and sound, he could hear her on the phone to someone talking about food for dinner. She was home safe and Vincent could do nothing else for her.

"So she said yes?"

Vincent was talking to JT who was trying to figure out what to wear to the Valentine's Day dance he was taking Tess to. He was a nervous wreck.

"Yes, apparently the flowers worked, but now I have to put on this monkey suit and mingle with all of the law and order types."

"Well I will be there, in the shadows of course keeping an eye on Sam and Dana. I am going to take off a little early so enjoy your night with Tess."

"Are you going to check in on Catherine again?"

Vincent had no idea that JT knew about his nightly visits to check on Catherine.

"Well a…how did you….yes."

Vincent hung his head.

"I know I should leave her alone, JT but you should have seen her at Sam and Dana's she gave in so easily, there was no fire in her, no passion and it's all my fault JT and I have no idea what to do about it, but I have to make sure that she is ok."

JT feels for Vincent. His friend is too stubborn for his own good.

"You could tell her how you feel, work things out between the two of you, I am not saying it would be easy, in fact I am sure it would be hard, but the two of you, pretending not to care and you stalking her is not the right way to handle this!"

Vincent just shakes off JT's words as he heads to check on Catherine.

He lands on her fire escape to see the fire going, the table set and Catherine wearing a beautiful red dress, with an apron on.

His gut clenches.

The doorbell rings.

Catherine greets a tall dark haired man at the door with a kiss on the cheek.

Vincent growls, his eyes turning yellow.

At the door Catherine cocks her head, almost as if she heard him. He blurs away to the roof of the building across the street.

"You look beautiful, how you managed that and cooked dinner is a mystery."

Catherine blushed.

"Thank you, I am a woman of many talents, but don't want to give away all my secrets."

She took his coat and hung it up.

"You look good as well, would you care for a drink?"

Catherine walks over to the bar she has set up and take a moment to look out the window. She thought (hoped) she heard something a minute ago, but as she moves the curtain aside, there is nothing there.

Vincent from across the street sees her open the curtain, he knows she is looking for him. He stands statue still so as not to draw her attention across the street. It takes an effort to stand still when his heart is breaking, when every muscle in his body wants to beast out and race over to her apartment and tear her guest apart. He closes his eyes and clenches his fists. When he looks up again she is gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Catherine enters the dance on the arm of Michael, as the valet takes their coats, her eyes sweep the room. She smiles and waves at Tess and JT standing by the bar. Her eye's continue and see Sam and Dana on the dance floor.

Sam and Dana are oblivious to the world around them, Sam has been gone 5 years and just like that they managed to pick up right where they left off. Catherine's heart is tender and sore, but watching them gives her hope.

Michael leads Catherine over to the bar to chat with Tess and JT.

Vincent sensed Catherine's presence immediately. If she had looked up when she entered she would have seen his eye's glowing. Vincent pulled back into the shadows.

As Michael led her to the bar, Catherine looked over her shoulder, she had the feeling that someone was watching her, but when she looked up, there was no one there.

"JT you look amazing, who knew you cleaned up so well." Catherine hugs him.

JT blushes and looks so uncomfortable.

"Thanks, you look beautiful too." He hugs her back.

Catherine introduces him to Michael and even JT glances upward before shaking the offered hand. Michael gets Catherine a glass of wine and the four of them talk about the many mundane things one uses to make small talk at parties. JT is watching Catherine, she appears to be trying too hard. Not that anyone else would notice, but he thinks he has gotten to know her pretty well in this last year. He hates that Vincent is hurting and it is now obvious to him that Catherine is too.

JT leads Tess out onto the dance floor.

"Thank you for putting on the monkey suit tonight, you look great in it." Tess says as they dance.

"You look amazing, who knew there was such a girly girl inside that tough cop exterior. Oh that's right I did."

JT gazes at Tess's mouth and leans forward unsure of what she will do.

She meets him halfway and kisses him hard, right there on the dance floor. She smiles and pulls him closer, closing her eyes and letting the music take them.

Catherine is happy for JT and Tess, after all JT has been through he deserves some happiness. But seeing Sam and Dana and now JT and Tess so happy also hurts. She excuses herself from Michael and walks over to the balcony. As she steps outside she wraps her arms around herself, she looks over the city and wonders what Vincent is doing.

Vincent sees Catherine leave and head for the balcony, he watches her as she stares out over the city. He remembers watching her at her Dad's engagement party, she looked over the city then as well, only he was in front of her then, across the street. Now he is behind her, it seems to him that he is destined to stay there. He can see that she is unhappy, and he knows he is the cause. He should leave her be and let her move on with anyone, even Michael, but he can't stay away from her.

Michael comes to find her and asks her to dance. She turns away from the city, places her hand in his and lets him lead her onto the dance floor, leaving her thoughts of Vincent behind.

"You look sad."

Michael is dancing with Catherine.

"I'm sorry Michael, it's not you, it's been a very tough year and Valentine's Day has some painful memories for me. But I am here and trying to make new ones." She takes a deep breath. "And you are doing a great job helping me do that."

Michael smiles at her and dips her.

"I aim to please."

Catherine laughs as he twirls her out and pulls her back in.

Catherine puts her head against his chest and closes her eyes. She tries to picture Michael in her head as she dances with him, but all she sees is Vincent, his beautiful hazel eyes, a gorgeous dimple and sexy smile.

JT is just about stepping on Tess's toes trying to watch Catherine and Michael on the dance floor.

"JT maybe you would rather dance with Catherine?"

JT looks chagrinned.

"Sorry, you caught me, I don't want to be dancing with anyone but you, but I just can't stand seeing the both of them so unhappy. Vincent is miserable without Cat and Cat is too."

"JT you have to give Cat some time to get over Vincent. She needs to take her life back and she deserves to be with someone who will put her first, not run off to play mating games with the first red headed she beast that comes into heat! And what is it with Vincent and red heads anyway?"

"I am sorry, I know she is your best friend and you are trying to protect her, but she is miserable without Vincent, wouldn't it be better if we got the two of them back together instead of watching them be so unhappy? And I don't think he has a thing for redheads it was just an ugly coincidence!"

Tess does not want to fight with JT but will protect Catherine till the day she dies.

"Maybe it will make Vincent feel better but I am not convinced that it is best for Cat. How can you be so sure he won't hurt her again?"

JT thinks a minute.

"I don't know that he won't hurt her again, I just know that he loves her and she loves him and it is stupid for him to be watching her from the shadows while she goes off and tries to find happiness with other guys."

"He is watching her from the shadows?" Tess is alarmed. "You mean stalking her?'

JT now rushes to his best friend's defense.

"Well it's not as creepy as you are making it out to be."

They both look at each other. And JT says.

"Stop we can't do this, we can't bring them into our relationship, this is Valentine's Day and I am dancing with the hottest woman in here, so I am just going to enjoy my evening with you and leave everything else for another day."

Tess smiles at him and places her head on his chest.

"Sounds good to me."

Vincent hears Catherine laugh and the sounds tears through him. He has to control the beast as he looks at her as she places her head against Michael's chest. He grips the railing in front of him and closes his eyes panting. When he looks up Michael is leading Catherine off the dance floor. Checking quickly to make sure Sam and Dana are ok, he follows.

"So do you want to get a drink sometime this week?' Michael asks.

"I thought we were getting a drink right now?" Catherine teases.

He laughs.

"Yes, but I mean ones that I actually pay for, and maybe someplace more quiet?"

Michael looks hopeful.

Catherine smiles at him and agrees.

"That sound like a lovely idea, name the time and place."

Vincent knows he should not do this, but he cannot help it. He is not thinking clearly, he is not thinking at all as he comes up behind Catherine.

"May I have this dance?"

He puts his hand on her back, and immediately feels that spark.

She takes a sharp breath at the contact, she can feel it to.

Poor Michael oblivious to it all, looks at Catherine.

Catherine turns around to tell Vincent no, but Michael jumps in.

"Of course, Catherine, I will go and get fresh drinks." He walks away and leaves them alone.

Catherine looks at Vincent her eyes immediately softening, her heart hammering, but she straightens her shoulders and the mask comes up, but not before he sees how she feels.

Vincent smiles a confident smile and holds his hand out to her.

She takes it and as he leads her out on the floor asks him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Watching Sam and Dana….they are find by the way. You look beautiful."

He looks at her, like he can see right through her, and he probably can, but she will not give him the satisfaction.

"Thank you, I….."

She has no idea what to say to him. She looks up at him and time falls away, and it's like they are dancing at her Father's wedding. They were just starting then and even though they did not know what kind of future they would have, it was clear they wanted it together.

Vincent doesn't speak, he pulls her close and closes his eyes, laying his head on top of hers, and she fits so perfectly against him. This is what he wants, this is where she belongs.

She relaxes against him and they move together to the music, Catherine closes her eyes as well and allows herself to get lost in the moment.

All of a sudden Vincent tenses up, his hold on her tightening. This brings her back to the here and now. It is obvious he senses a threat.

"May I cut back in?"

Michael has returned. Vincent wants to rip his throat out, and is impressed with himself when he shows restraint. He turns towards Michael and extends his hand.

Michael takes it and is enveloped in a bone crushing handshake.

"Thank you for allowing me to dance with your date, it was a pleasure."

Vincent releases Michael's hand and bows to Catherine, taking her hand he kisses the inside of her palm, just above her wrist.

Catherine scowls at his retreating back as Michael is massaging his throbbing hand.

"That guy had one hell of a grip."

Michael sweeps Catherine back into the crowd of the dance floor.

"Are you Ok, that guy seemed a little too into you."

"I'm fine, thank you for rescuing me, let's dance." She allows Michael to sweep her back into the crowded dance floor, she looks up at him smiling determined not to let Vincent interrupt her thoughts this time.

Vincent checks in with JT and Tess and after giving Tess and quick kiss on the cheek, tells them to enjoy their evening.

He then makes contact with Sam and Dana, while he is talking with them he senses another threat.

"There is another beast here!"

Vincent moves quickly whisking Sam and Dana into the coat room. Stay here until I come back for you. I will send Tess and JT.

Vincent is still scanning the room trying to id the beast when he comes up to JT and Tess.

"There is a beast here, I put Sam and Dana in the coat room, are you armed?"

Looking at Tess, she confirms that she is.

"Can you go and stay with them, until I figure this out?"

"Of course Vincent, but what about Catherine, she is here too?"

Vincent doesn't want to involve her, but he also won't put her at risk.

"I will tell her and get her to leave."

JT and Tess head to the coat room.

"Good luck with that!" Tess mutters under her breath as JT leads her away.

Vincent finds Catherine alone by the bar. She can tell by the look on his face something is very wrong.

"Where is your date?"

Out on the dance floor, what is going on?"

Vincent takes her by the shoulders.

"There is another beast here, you have to get Michael and get out of here, JT and Tess are guarding Sam and Dana in the coatroom. I want you out of harm's way."

Catherine of course was going to have none of that.

"You can sense him, but where is he?"

"I don't know, all I could think about was getting you to safety and then I will look for him."

She is touched that his first instinct was to come and find her.

Catherine looks around Vincent and sees Michael dancing with a beautiful blonde woman, not someone recognizes from the department or the DA's office.

"He is right there with the blonde."

Vincent turns and focuses in on the couple, he tenses up. Michael is dancing with the beast. Putting his mouth to Catherine's ear, speaking softly so as not to be overheard by the beast.

"Michael is dancing with the beast, don't react…She obviously saw me dancing with you earlier and must have sensed I was a beast. Follow my lead."

Catherine shivers as Vincent's warm breath tickles her ear and down her neck, she wants his mouth to follow…She shakes her head, got to stay focused…..but it is really hard with Vincent pressed up against her and his breath on her neck.

Vincent takes her hand and leads her back out onto the dance floor. He maneuvers her close to Michael and the beast. As they get close, Vincent puts his head to Catherine's ear again and tells her to pull the fire alarm and get Michael out of here. He slides in between Michael and his date and sweeps the she beast away from them.

He can see Catherine grab Michael and lead him from the floor.

He turns to the beautiful woman in his arms.

"Can I help you with something?" He says as he tightens his grip on her and allows his eyes to glow.

She smiles.

"Just enjoying my evening, it appeared you were as well. I thought I was doing you a favor, by keeping her date occupied, you seemed to be enjoying yourself dancing with his girl a few minutes ago."

Vincent is making his way towards the balcony with her. He would strangle her right now for calling Catherine Michael's girl if he could get away with it.

She purrs and rubs up against him as they dance.

Vincent's animal side kicks in, but he immediately controls it. She has no effect on him!

The fire alarm rings and everyone starts heading for the door. Except Vincent.

"What do you want? Who sent you?"

She laughs a deep throaty sound.

"So many questions, why don't you and I have some fun first?"

She presses herself up against him, running her fingers through his hair, clearing thinking the same thing as whoever sent her. Send a female beast to distract a male beast. But Vincent is still scanning the room and senses the other beast. He grabs her up against him.

This is what Catherine sees when she races back into the room. Images of him and Tori flash through her mind, the lustful look on the woman's face, her smile as she is pulled up against him.

Vincent runs his hand up the woman's neck. "Nice try, but that doesn't work on me anymore." He pushes on her pressure point and she drops to the floor, unconscious.

"Vincent!" Catherine yells.

He turns just as the other beast reveals himself and grabs Catherine from behind.

Vincent's beast unleashes and lunges for Catherine.

She is hauled up against the other beast as a shield between him and Vincent. The other beast puts his hand around Catherine's neck.

"Stop!...or I won't just make her unconscious!"

This makes Vincent stop in his tracks. He locks eyes with Catherine. Catherine is calm, steady as a rock. She keeps her eyes on Vincent.

"Let her go, she has nothing to do with this."

The beast laughs.

"Since she stopped you in your tracks, I am finding that a little hard to believe."

"What do you want? If you hurt her, you are dead right after. There is no way out of here."

The beast smiles at Vincent and tightens his grip on Catherine's neck. She does not cry out. Vincent notices her clench her fists. He narrows his eyes at her, shaking his head to try and stop her. Her hands relax.

"I am sure we can make some arrangement, there will always be a next time. The people who employ us will not stop until they get what they want."

"What exactly is that?"

"Don't know don't care, we were sent to do a job, grab Sam and Dana this time."

Vincent in a taunting tone.

"Well seems like you kinda suck at your job then."

The beast responds.

"I can admit you surprised us, I thought for sure Natalie would be screwing your brains out in no time, leaving me to grab Sam and Dana. Not sure how you resisted her."

Answering the beast, but looking directly at Catherine, Vincent says.

"I guess I am in love with someone else, your girl had no effect on me."

Catherine's eyes go wide and then close, tears forming behind her lids.

"I'll remember that for next time,"

The beast hurls Catherine across the room, Vincent blurs and manages to slide under her, catching her. She lands on top of him.

"Are you ok?" He asks as he reaches up and cradles her face in his hands.

Catherine is very aware of Vincent's body beneath her. Her heart is racing. Did he really mean what he said back there, was he talking about her? He controlled his beast. She stares into his eyes searching.

"I am fine."

Vincent stares at her, she is breathing heavily, she looks at his mouth and that is all the encouragement he needs. He kisses her hard, he overwhelms her and doesn't give her the chance to pull back. He needn't have worried, Catherine grabs the back of his head to pull him closer, kissing him back just as hard. She opens her mouth to him, darts her tongue in his mouth and presses her body against his.

"Wait"

Catherine stops and scrambles up and away from Vincent. They are both breathing hard and he hasn't moved, he is locked on to her like a predator. Catherine puts her hand against her mouth.

"I'm sorry Vincent…..I can't do this…I….."

She takes off again….

Vincent gets up to give chase.

Just as JT and Tess walk into the ballroom, Catherine goes running past them to Michael.

JT looks at Vincent.

"What the hell is going on?"

Vincent stops and let's Catherine go. He turns to JT and Tess.

"Where are Sam and Dana?"

Tess puts up both hands.

"Relax big guy, Dana took Sam back to her office, I am sure they are safe at the FBI."

"You want to tell us what just happened?" JT asks.

"I kissed Catherine."

JT smiles, but Tess interjects.

"Good for you, but that is not what we are talking about, what happened here!" She waves her arms to take in the ballroom.

Vincent feeling embarrassed.

"Sorry, there were two beasts a male and female, the female was sent to distract me and the male was supposed to grab Sam and Dana. The female beast had no effect on me, but the male beast grabbed Catherine, he threw her across the room and I was able to catch her. Unfortunately he used that time to grab the female beast and get away."

Tess gives Vincent a disapproving look.

"So while you were macking on a hottie, the bad guys got away?"

JT steps in to defend his friend.

"I am sure that the beasts got away while he was saving Catherine and were gone by the time he kissed her….right V?"

Vincent is so uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation. He rubs his hands over his face.

"Yes, can we please stop talking about Catherine and talk about the beasts."

JT is the first to point out the good news.

"So the female beast had no effect on you? Nothing like Tori did at first?"

"No JT I could sense her, and she tried pouring it on pretty heavy, my beast was aware of her, but I was in control the whole time."

Tess likes what she is hearing but is skeptical.

"So what is different?"

Vincent looks at JT questioning.

"I am not sure, looking back, Tori certainly caught me off guard, the first time she kissed me, but I stopped it. Then later, I had no reason to stop or hold back….." At his friend's extremely uncomfortable looks he stopped.

"But I broke things off with Tori before she died, she still clouded my judgment but I was starting to feel like the real me again, it got easier and easier to ignore the feelings she generated in me. Maybe now that I know what to expect I can control it better? Although they were surprised that I resisted."

JT looking confused.

"Who was surprised?"

"Sorry, the other beasts, expected me to react to the female beast, Natalie."

JT thought for a moment.

"So this visceral reaction between male and female beasts must be normal."

Vincent looks at JT.

"So why didn't Natalie affect me?"

JT put his hand on Vincent's shoulder.

"Because you love Catherine."

Tess also chimed in.

"She obviously loves you too Vincent, she came rushing back in here to find you after getting Michael to safety."

You said Sam and Dana are safe for the night?

JT and Tess both tell Vincent yes, and they will make sure they stay that way.

"What are you going to do?"

JT asks although he already knows the answer.

"I have to see Catherine."

Vincent blurs away and JT and Tess head for the FBI offices.

"This isn't exactly the way I wanted this evening to end." JT says as he places a kiss on Tess.

She smiles up at him.

"I know, but we have all the time in the world and I think we just gave Vincent and Catherine the best Valentine's gift."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Vincent is sitting on the fire escape, he is anxious; he raced right over, beating Catherine home. At least he is hoping he just beat her home, when in reality, he is really worried that she might have gone home with Michael. So he waits, determined not to leave and stay as long as it takes….

Fortunately it is not very long. Vincent hears Catherine at her door. She is not alone. He braces himself for whatever he is going to hear next.

"Thank you for walking me to the door Michael that was very sweet."

Michael is hoping for an invitation to stay…..He is about to be disappointed, because before he can respond Catherine hears Vincent on the fire escape…..growling.

"Do you have a dog?"

Catherine covers nicely.

"I do and he is not trained very well"….she knows Vincent can hear her…."He's been cooped up for awhile and I really should get changed and walk him, don't want any accidents in the house! Thanks for a lovely evening but I really need to go."

Before Michael can speak, he finds himself staring at the outside of Catherine's door.

"I'll call you next week about drinks!" He yells through the door.

"Sounds great!"

With those words, Catherine whips open the curtains and finds Vincent sitting on the fire escape steps, looking apologetic.

"I am so sorry, it was a reflex, I really didn't mean to growl at him."

Catherine sighs.

"You might as well come in."

Vincent gracefully comes through the window. Catherine can't help but admire his feline grace and subconsciously she compares it to Michael, who of course comes up short.

Vincent stands there staring at her; he has so much to say, but no idea how to start. He clears his throat but Catherine speaks first.

"Pour me a glass of wine; while I get out of this dress, if we are going to talk, I want to at least be comfortable."

Catherine heads to her bedroom, once inside she closes the door and leans back against it. Be strong! She tells herself, you are just going to talk to him…..only talk!

She changes her clothes and brings out a shirt and jeans for Vincent. She hands them to him nervously, reminded of their shared intimacy.

"I had these here, if you want to get out of that suit."

Catherine sits down on the couch drinking her wine while Vincent changes. She has slept with that shirt for weeks. So much that it doesn't even smell like him anymore it smells like her.

Vincent changing his clothes in the bathroom notices that his shirt smells like Catherine. He closes his eyes and savors her scent.

When he walks back out, his eyes go directly to Catherine. She is sitting on the couch, feet up, watching him.

He kneels down in front of her and places his arms on either side of her.

"I need to tell you something and I need for you to hear me out, can you do that?"

Catherine nods her head.

Vincent takes a deep breath.

"I love you."

At those words Catherine starts, and Vincent gently places his hands on her arms.

"You promised to hear me out."

Catherine settles back down.

"I know you may not believe me, but I have never stopped loving you. Catherine….. Even after I made you shoot me and even after I turned away from you in anger and confusion, you were always there, pulling me back.

I have made mistakes and for awhile I lost my way. I know I have some work to do to regain your trust. You have to believe me when I say I never want to hurt you again."

Catherine looking into Vincent's eyes believes him, this is her Vincent looking back at her, but that is here and now, she is afraid, afraid to open her heart to him again.

"Did you love Tori?" Catherine drops her head, afraid of his answer.

Vincent lifted her chin and looked directly into her eyes.

"No…..no I did not, and maybe that makes what I did worse. When she first kissed me, it caught me off guard and it took too long but I stopped her. After you shot me, well I had no reason to stop her, but after you were held hostage things changed. I could feel the difference in me when I was around you. When Tori was around I was agitated and on edge, not comfortable in my own skin. But when I was with you, I felt like myself. I knew that my reaction to Tori wasn't real. I tried to explain it to her, but I barely understood what was happening. She thought she loved me, but she was just afraid of being alone.

He stopped and took a deep breath.

"Before Tori died, I broke things off with her. I finally had the strength to push her away and feel something normal. Then she died and the fog lifted and once it did all I could think about was you. It is always you; my feelings for you are why that female beast had no affect on me tonight."

"Had no effect?"

"Yes, she was sent in to distract me, while the male beast was dealing with Sam and Dana. But she had no effect on me. When I touched her I knew she was a beast, but no matter what she did to try and distract me, it was easy to fight it. The male beast was shocked that it did not work. JT thinks it has something to do with the way I feel about you because apparently it's not normal for a male beast to resist a female. But for me it was easy I looked at her as a threat and that was it."

Vincent pauses to gauge how Catherine is taking all of it, her heart is racing.

"I'm scared; I want to believe you, but….

Catherine doesn't know what to say, her thoughts are jumbled.

"I need some time Vincent; this is all a little overwhelming."

Vincent stands up and backs away from her, after everything he has done he will not pressure her.

"OK…..Can I ask you something?"

"Yes"

"Why did you come back for me at the dance?"

Catherine thinks a moment, then answers.

"Because….. I love you too."

He starts toward her. But she stops him by putting her hands up.

"I love you, but I am not sure I can trust you."

Vincent hears her words and they go straight to his gut, he doesn't know what to say to her. He looks at her, at the pain in her eyes. Knowing he put it there, knowing he has broken her.

"I am so sorry Catherine…I will leave you alone….." He turns to leave.

"Vincent wait!" Catherine gets up off the couch. "I listened to you, now I need you to listen to me." She gestures at the couch for him to sit down.

"I said I am not sure I can trust you, but how can you trust me."

He looks at her confused.

"When you came back with no memory of me, of us, it was so painful. The whole time you were missing, I never gave up on you; I never stopped looking for you. I tried so hard to bring you back and it felt like we were almost there when Tori showed up. I knew she had an effect on you, and I knew how angry you were with my Father and instead of listening to you, and working with you, I pushed and put out ultimatums, I know that I am responsible for some of what has happened between us. I lost faith too Vincent, I should have kept fighting for you. I know the man you are and I should have fought for him, but instead I just walked away and let Tori win. I am sorry for that Vincent, I am sorry that I left you all alone."

Catherine is trying to keep it together. Vincent is staring at her.

"So what I want to know is, you say you love me, but do you trust me?"

Vincent without hesitation answers her.

"Yes"

Catherine is surprised by this.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know you, I know your heart. We may stumble and we make mistakes, but at the end of the day, I know you….. The woman I am in love with has the heart of a lion and the soul of an angel." Vincent smiles at Catherine. "Not the silly ones with wings, the bad ass ones, the warrior kind." He steps towards her. "She is the one who ran inside that ballroom tonight." He cups her face in his hands. "She is the one who was going to take on a beast for me tonight and that woman is easy to love and easy to trust." He holds himself still, looking into her eyes.

He can see the moment she forgives him. Catherine takes her hand and places it on his cheek, where his scar used to be. "You saved me tonight, instead of going after those beasts. You choose me."

"I will always choose you." He leans closer to her, waiting, silently asking permission.

Catherine closes the distance between them and kisses him. Tentatively at first, they stop, pull back and gaze at each other; Vincent's thumb gently caresses her cheek. He looks deep into her eyes and vows.

"I promise Catherine that will never change."

With those words, Catherine lets go and kisses him hard and that is all the encouragement he needs. He picks her up, she wraps her legs around his waist and he walks with her to the bedroom. He doesn't stop kissing her until he places her on the floor at the foot of her bed.

"Are you sure about this?" He tucks her hair behind her ear, and rubs his hands down her arms. He is giving her an out; he wants to make sure this is what she wants.

Catherine smiles and steps closer to him. She puts her arms around him and puts her head against his chest. She speaks softly, knowing he can hear her.

"More than anything." She lifts her face to him and he feels like he is staring into the sun, she is overwhelming, she is his everything.

He kisses her slowly, taking his time, savoring the way she tastes; she moans into his mouth and slides her tongue against his. His hands slide up her back, one of them behind her neck the other pulling her even closer, up to her toes.

Vincent is on fire, the scent of Catherine is everywhere, and he buries his face in her neck, deeply inhaling her.

"Take me to bed Vincent." Catherine breathes softly.

He takes off her clothing one piece at a time, unwrapping her slowly. She stands before him in her bra and panties. She takes off his clothes, his shirt first, running her hands up his chest and circling his nipples with her fingers, they stand at attention begging for her command.

She unbuckles his belt and unzips his pants, sliding them down; when she gets to the floor she stays there and runs her hands back up his thighs. His cock brushes against her face and she clasps him in her hands. She brings him to her mouth and almost brings Vincent to his knees. Her tongue flicks around the head as her hands cup his sack. She pulls him deep into her throat. Vincent holds her still trying to maintain control. Catherine growls and the vibration rockets up his spine and curls back low in his belly. He can't take anymore; he pulls her up and kisses her hard. She kisses him back, their tongues licking and sliding around each other.

He picks her up and lays her on the bed. He takes his time, settling himself between her thighs he kisses her neck, moving lower to her breasts. She arches up to him as he takes her nipple into his mouth. Her breath comes faster and he laves it with his tongue, her hips flex beneath him. He wedges his thigh against her core, she rides it seeking relief. But Vincent is nowhere close to letting her finish.

He moves over to her other nipple giving it the same attention. He moves lower, sliding his mouth against her navel. She looks down at him, he senses her gaze and looks up at her letting his eyes glow, and he can feel the answering rush of moisture on his thigh. He moves lower, burying his face in her center, he licks and sucks at her clit. Catherine arches up, her back bowing. Vincent runs his hands down her thighs, marveling in her strength. He is humbled by her trust in him. Her hips writhe and she is panting. He can tell she is close. Vincent comes up and stops himself right at her entrance. Catherine reached down and guides him into her; she cups his balls as he seats himself the root. Vincent arches his neck back, his beast is close to the surface, his eyes are glowing and his muscles are thickening. Catherine sensing Vincent's struggle, brings her hands up to his face and pulls him down to kiss him. She tames his beast and the man is back in control. He buries his face in her shoulder as he lets go and slams into her again and again, she lifts up to meet him stroke for stroke. He lifts her hips and pistons hard and fast. Catherine holds on panting in his ear, her tongue darts out to ring his ear and he is lost, he arches back and pours himself into her, as he lets go Catherine comes apart around him, milking him dry.

They lay there entwined, arms and legs. Both are trying to catch their breath, Vincent pulls out of her and she frowns at the loss of him. He smiles at her and scoops her up against him, curling himself around her. Her bottom is pressed against him and his hand is on her breast, not because he is trying to stimulate her, but just because it belongs there. He kisses the back of her neck and she nestles even further into him. He kisses her shoulder and falls asleep with a smile on his face.

Catherine can feel Vincent fall asleep. She knows they have some work to do, she knows that it won't be easy, but she also knows there is no where she would rather be, and he is finally home.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Vincent." She says softly as she falls asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The first thing Catherine became aware of was the feeling of Vincent's arm around her. She thinks back to the night before, and how it felt to be with Vincent again. She'd had other lovers in her past, but none of them consume her like Vincent does. None of them have ever understood and accepted her like Vincent does. She reaches around and pulls Vincent even closer.

Vincent chuckles when Catherine pulls him closer, he buries his face in her hair and breathes deeply.

"Good Morning" He says, his husky voice sending electricity through her system.

Catherine burrows in even more. Refusing to acknowledge a new day, wanting to stay right where she is.

"No… no…. no… It's not morning yet, I don't want this night to end," She rolls around to face him, "I never want to leave this bed." She caresses the side of his face. "I am so glad I did not logic myself out of this."

Vincent smiles and pulls her underneath him.

"I am too, more than you know." He lowers his head to hers and there is no more time for thinking, only feeling.

Vincent and Catherine along with JT and Tess are meeting with Sam and Dana in Dana's office at the FBI.

"I have arranged some temporary safe housing for Sam and me." Dana explains to the group. "I think we should use burner cell phones to communicate and keep our location a secret, even to all of you."

JT is worried.

"I thought you wanted Vincent's protection? And what about Cat? They know about her now, isn't she in danger as well?"

"I think that we all need to take precautions and Dana is right, plus now that she knows what she is on the lookout for, she can protect Sam. I will stay with Catherine." Vincent looks at Catherine and quickly interjects….. "Not that she needs protection…."

Catherine is barely mollified by his admission.

"Vincent is right, I don't think any of us should really be alone, we would make too good a target. It never hurts to have someone watching your back."

"Sam, what do they want?"

"To make more beasts. This organization is huge, it's networked like a cancer, you can't destroy it, it's just too big. From what I understand they are in the business of making beasts, they are a commodity just like anything else. Their focus shifted 5 years ago, when I found that skeleton."

This news chills Vincent to the bone, but also explains a lot.

"That makes sense, back when I was experimented on, they obviously didn't know exactly what they were doing, or they would not have destroyed my whole unit. Now they are working off a prototype, which explains my upgrades. They went from trying to figure out how to make beasts to a genetic road map, and with Tori they now realize that the beast trait can be inherited as well."

JT jumps in as well.

"What about the gem, as long as there have been beasts, there have been people fighting against them. Who ever created that gem, did so to control beasts. We need to learn more about it. We know that it suppressed the beast in Vincent and Tori, but I wonder what else it does.

This is the first time Sam has heard about the gem and they explain to him, Vincent and Tori's reaction to it.

"Where is this gem now?"

Vincent is hesitant to share that info with everyone. The thought of anyone have access to something that could control him scares him to death.

"Somewhere safe….let's just leave it at that." Vincent gives JT a look that he correctly interprets as leave it be….

"We have to figure out who Tony Barnes is and how he is connected to all of this." Sam is frustrated. "All during the time of my captivity I could never figure out who was in charge. At every dig we went on and everyplace I was held there was always a different person in charge each time. I am not even sure Tony Barnes is a real person!"

JT is getting a headache.

"If Murfield or whomever they are now, have been able to make beasts and upgrade them like Vincent, what did they need me to make a serum for.

Suddenly it hits Catherine. As the realization sinks in, Catherine starts to panic. She cannot lose him again, she won't survive this time. She moves toward Vincent.

Vincent sensing Catherine's distress, opens his arms to her. He looks down at her.

"What is it?"

Catherine closes her eyes as tears threaten. She chokes on the words. Her arms tighten around Vincent.

"You…..they want you back."

Everyone is silent, each one thinking on what Catherine has said.

JT is the first one to speak.

"Well they can't have him back!"

Tess puts a comforting hand on JT's arm,

"JT, we won't let that happen….Right?' She looks at everyone.

Vincent is silent, staring down at Catherine. He thinks about all the pain he has caused her in the last year.

"I need to talk to Catherine…..alone."

Vincent doesn't acknowledge the others as they leave the room. JT makes a halfhearted attempt to stay, but Tess gently tugs him with her.

For a few moments, they don't speak, they just stand there holding onto each other.

Vincent kisses the top of Catherine's head as she steps back out of his embrace.

She is already shaking her head.

"No….no….no…I know what you are going to say and the answer is no, Vincent."

"Catherine."

Catherine closes her eyes, the way he says her name has always stoked a fire in her, but this is not the place or time for that fire. Another kind of fire is kindling as the fear she felt earlier slowly builds to anger at what she knows Vincent is thinking.

"Dammit Vincent! Will you stop playing the martyr for 2 seconds? You are not giving yourself up to them, not now…not ever. I panicked…..that's all…..a momentary loss of control. We are going to fight them and we are going to beat them and"….He cuts her off with a kiss.

The kiss takes her breath away, his tongue inside her mouth, tasting her. One hand slides down her back to pull her into him, as the other caresses the side of her face. Vincent pulls back and looks into her eyes. Catherine looking back at him sees his determination.

"Vincent, please don't do this….we will find another way." Catherine's voice breaks as her hands come up to cup his face. She kisses him back. "Promise me, no sacrificing yourself for me, we have to do this together."

Vincent stares hard into Catherine's eyes. He would give his life to keep her safe…to keep them all safe. He cups her chin and lifts her face up for his kiss. He leans his forehead against hers. They stand still, breath intermingling, unable to tell where one ends and one begins. This is when he feels most at peace….she is everything to him, the mere thought of leaving her eviscerates him.

JT is wearing a hole in the floor, outside the office.

"JT you're just making it worse, calm down."

JT looks at Tess in disbelief."

"Calm down…..calm down…now is not the time to calm down. You know what he is doing in there don't you? He is going to turn himself in, play the martyr. He will probably just blur away from here without giving us a chance to change his mind. Damn stubborn….ox, he never thinks before he acts….why do you think he volunteered for Murfield…..why he wouldn't leave Cat alone? Because the moron…"

The sound of the door opening cuts him off.

Vincent's deep gravelly voice asks.

"The moron what?"

JT looks embarrassed and surprised. A difficult look to pull off, but he manages it.

"You're still here!"

Catherine knows exactly how JT feels, he loves Vincent just as much as she does and he was hurt just as much as she was when he was taken. She walks over to him and gives him a much needed hug.

"It's ok, JT….Vincent is not going anywhere." She looks at Vincent for confirmation.

Vincent nods his head in agreement.

"I am not leaving JT, I promise, but we have some work to do."

Catherine will accompany Vincent as he tracks the beasts from the dance. Tess and Dana will back them up, while Sam and JT focus on the gem.

Vincent and Catherine return to the ballroom and Vincent begins to track Natalie and her partner/beast. Catherine follows Vincent, armed to the teeth and careful to watch his back. She is afraid this is a trap and she will be damned if anyone is going to take him from her again. Vincent tracks them out of NYC and up into Westchester Co.

"We are getting close to where I grew up."

Catherine explains to Vincent.

"Westchester is not that big, how could there be a place for beasts to hide out around here?"

"I don't know, but it makes sense, your Mom involved with Murfield. You growing up nearby, not exactly a stretch that a safe house could be nearby."

They come upon a sprawling estate, the house and several outbuildings were set back way off the road. Barely visible to Catherine's eye as it is surrounded by a stately brick perimeter fence.

Vincent stops in his tracks, mesmerized by something. His body is still, but Catherine can sense the strain in him. When she looks at him, her heart stops and her lungs seize up.

Vincent is struggling to maintain his human form. His beast is pushing to get out. Vincent drops to his knees, his head down and panting. His muscles bulge, the veins along his forearms standing out.

Catherine moves toward him but stops as he says.

"Get away from me"…he barely sounded human…."Catherine run."

"I am not leaving you….fight this Vincent, whatever it is….fight it!"

Vincent is trying to do just that. His brain is going haywire, images are flashing at him…he sees himself fighting….other flashes of being tortured. His beast is trying to get out to protect him. Another flash of Catherine's Father, asking questions about Catherine. Vincent throwing himself at cage bars, trying to get to him. Vincent is still on his hands and knees, struggling to keep the beast at bay.

Catherine comes up to him and places her small hand on his shoulder.

"Vincent…..Vincent."

As soon as she touches him, the beast calms. Vincent is able to exert control once again. His heart rate slows and his breathing returns to normal. He stays there on his knees a moment to collect himself.

"I'm Ok…I'm alright." He reaches out to her and she helps him up.

Catherine looks him over head to toe.

"What happened?"

Vincent closes his eye, shudders once and tells her.

"This is where he brought me."

Catherine steps back with her hand over her mouth.

"Oh My God"

Vincent doesn't waste any time now that he is back in control, he grabs Catherine and blurs away to safety.

A roadside motel is their safe harbor for now. Dana and Tess are there as well and Vincent updates them on what he can remember.

"It is just flashes of memories, but I am positive that is where I was held after your Father kidnapped me. We can't stay here it is too dangerous, especially for you Catherine."

Catherine is shocked.

"Me?...Why?"

"Because it's not me they are after, its' you….."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Catherine is stunned.

Me? Why would they be after me, Vincent? I am not anything."

Vincent is desperate to put as much distance between them and that house as possible.

"I promise I will go over everything later, but right now I need to get you out of here, please Catherine…..now."

Catherine looked at Dana and Tess, who are clearly as confused as she is. But she can also tell that Vincent is clearly upset and agitated. So she gives in to him, for now…

Back at JT's place, Vincent is now the one wearing a hole through the floor. He is scaring Catherine a little, it is too reminiscent of how agitated he was with Tori around. They are waiting for JT and Sam to get back from the University lab, they were "borrowing" to run some tests on the gem.

Dana is concerned enough to ask Catherine.

"Is this normal for him to be so agitated, he is like a caged animal, with all the pacing."

"No he is usually totally in control, something about that place spooked him and he is having trouble settling down."

Tess interjects.

"It's not something that has him spooked, Cat it is his fear for you. You heard him back there, they wanted you."

Catherine tries to keep her voice down, forgetting that her boyfriend is a beast with supernatural hearing abilities.

"I know that is what he said" whispering "But that makes no sense, I am nobody, it has to be Vincent that they are after."

"You know I can hear you right, and you're wrong Catherine." Vincent walks over to her, and as soon as he touches her, he is calm, the agitation is gone. "You are everything."

Sam and JT get back and are anxious to share their news about the gem, but agree to wait because Vincent is clearly upset.

"Catherine is the one in danger right now." Acknowledging his friends confusion he says. "Yes, I was the one kidnapped, tortured and brainwashed. Bear with me here, once your Father saw you and saw how you felt about me, he was obsessed with you. While I was being held, he was constantly asking me questions about you, were you a beast? Did you know I was a beast? Did you have any special abilities? At the time, I had no idea he was your Father and I refused to speak about you to him. No matter what they did to me, I would not speak even your name to them. The reprogramming/enhancements and sending me to kill other beasts and wiping my memory of you were to keep me away from you."

Catherine is overwhelmed hearing Vincent speak, he had never spoken to her about what happened to him when he was taken. Her soul hurts for his, all that he has been through at the hands of her family. How can he even love her, how does he not see the woman who made him what he is and the man who tortured him, when he looks at her.

JT too is trying to piece all of it together.

"But why did he not just come to her, once he realized she was in NY, I mean the city is big but he was FBI surely he could have found her if he wanted to."

Vincent shakes his head.

"I don't know but I am positive this is actually all about her, not me. Her Mom said something to me back in Afghanistan, she said she was doing this for her daughters."

JT throws up his hands.

'What the hell does that mean?"

"JT, come on….." Tess gives him a look.

Catherine is quick to come to his defense.

"No Tess it's ok, he is only saying what we all are thinking." She rubs her hands over her face. "I have a headache from all of this. Can we continue this conversation later? I need some air."

She heads to the door and Vincent is right behind her. Catherine turns to face him, holding up her hands to stop him from following her.

"Please Vincent, I need some time to process all this, I need to be alone."

Vincent stops in his tracks. He does not want her out there alone, not while there are people hunting her.

"Catherine….I….."

She turns and goes to JT.

"Put a tracker on my phone."

JT takes Cat's phone, slips a tracker under the battery and gives it back to her.

"I will be fine"' she looks to both Vincent and Tess, "I….just…."

She has no words, as she is leaving, she looks back over her shoulder to see Vincent standing there with his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry" she whispers so softly that only Vincent can hear her.

Catherin needs to run, she quickly changes into the running gear she keeps in her car. Headphones in, music blaring she takes off. The sky darkens as a storm rolls in. Catherine can't hear the rumble of thunder off in the distance.

JT knows that Vincent wants to take off after Cat, track her from a distance, but even he knows Cat well enough by now to know that would only piss her off. He opens his computer and shows Vincent the red blip on the screen that is Cat's phone, they will keep an eye on her from here.

That settles him down…..for now.

"So what about the gem, what did you and Sam find out?"

JT and Sam exchange a look, they are full on nerd excited….

"Well for starters it's not a gem, per se." At their incredulous looks, he continues. "It does not chemically match any known gem or mineral. In addition tools used to cut jewels were not in existence when the beast was alive and the collar was in use."

Sam jumps in.

"The skeleton and the collar are the same ones I found in Ireland years ago, I think the gem or whatever is it, is what they were looking for over the last few years when they were taking me on digs. We know the gem prevents your beast from manifesting, but without further testing we don't know what else it does."

JT again.

"Vincent if you think that Cat is the real target, I think we need to test this with her. Has she ever touched it?

Vincent thought back to the time he stole it, she took it back and then he recovered it.

'I don't ever remember her touching it" He looked at JT, "Do you really think it will have an effect on her?"

JT shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know man, I am just making this up as I go. But if her Dad was trying to find her and her Mom was working with Murfield to protect her…"

"Catherine has always had an effect on me, from the first moment I met her….."

Thinking back, Vincent realizes there is information about his past, that he has yet to share with anyone and it starts with the night he saved Catherine's life all those years ago. But he can't explain it to everyone else until he talks to Catherine.

"Were is Catherine's phone now?" JT refreshes the screen and Vincent knows right away where she is headed. He blurs away.

Tess looking over JT's shoulder, sighs.

"The cemetery."

The storm is closer when Vincent arrives at the cemetery. Vincent can feel energy gathering as the rain threatens. Catherine is already there, he can hear her talking to her Mom and Thomas. Her voice is breaking and it guts him to hear how much pain she is in. She always takes on too much. None of this is her fault, yet he knows she will feel responsible for what has happened to him. To be fair that is why he loves her so much. Her passion, her dedication, her fierceness. He is the beast, but when it comes to protecting those she loves, Catherine's courage and bravery could give the beast a run for it.

He waits patiently and tries to give her as much privacy as he can, he does not want to intrude but does not want her to be alone in this.

Catherine kneeling in between Thomas and her Mother's headstone is trying to make sense of everything. She talks to them through her tears, her voice breaking.

"Is there something wrong with me? Is that what you were protecting me from? I don't understand any of this. Catherine takes a deep breath. What did you not want me to know? Why did you keep my birth father from me, is he dangerous?

Catherine has difficulty getting the next words out…Her hand is on her Mother's headstone.

"How could you hurt people….and Vincent….I don't understand? Is this my fault, did you hurt him because of me?" Oh god…how can he look at me?" She breaks down and buries her face in her hands.

Vincent has heard enough. He quietly approaches her and kneels down beside her.

She is spooked, she quickly lifts her tear stained face to find him staring at her. He cups her face in his hands. He speaks softly.

"Enough Catherine, you are not to blame here. Do you know what I see when I look at you? I see my heart. You are the light to my darkness, you are the other half of my soul. I don't care what brought us together, every decision I have ever made brought me to the moment I met you. That moment changed my life for the better and no matter what happens, you are the person I choose to be with you, you are the woman I love."

He looks into her eyes, willing her to accept what he is saying, willing her to believe him.

"I can survive Murfield, I can survive what your Father did to me, what I can't take is your pain, I am not strong enough for that. Seeing you like this kills me. Please believe me when I say that I love you and that is never going to change."

Catherine places her hands over Vincent's, her lips are trembling, tears running down her face. She looks up at him and can see the love that he has for her. His gaze heats her, it's as if his love is a living thing, winding its way through her, softening her edges, and soothing her fears.

The sky lightens briefly as the lightning strikes and thunder rolls in the distance, rain starts to fall.

Vincent pulls Catherine up and shelters her in his arms. She lifts her face to him, her eyes closing as the rain hits her face and he lowers his head to kiss her. Her lips are wet from the rain and he tastes the salt from her tears. He pulls her close, angling his head to kiss her deeper. His tongue slide along her lips, she parts to give him access. Her arms come around his neck and he lifts her up pressing her body against his. The rain falls getting both of the wet, but they don't notice lost in the taste of each other. Catherine runs her hands through Vincent's hair. After a few moments, she pulls back and rubs her nose along his, separating for just a moment.

"Thank You for saving me."

She kisses him hard and he knows that she is talking about so much more than just the night in the woods. He picks her up to blur away with her and says.

"We saved each other."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Vincent carried Catherine in his arms as he blurred towards her apartment. She savored the feeling of being held so tightly up against his chest. She could feel the strength in him, the leashed power. The bright lights of the city streamed as he moved. He landed gently on her fire escape, setting her on her feet; he reached down to open her window. Catherine was a little unsteady on her feet after blurring through half of NYC. He helped her over the threshold, she sat down in the chair and admired his feline grace as he came in and closed the window behind him.

He kneeled in front of her.

"Are you ok?"

Teeth chattering she answered him.

"Fine, just a little cold."

Vincent grabbed a blanket off her bed and wrapped it around her. Then he scooped her up again.

"Vincent! Where are you taking me? I am soaking wet?"

He continued toward the living room.

"I am going to make you some coffee to warm you up, and I need to talk to you and if I stay in there….." He nodded his head back from where they came. "I will not be able to tell you what I have to say, because all I can think about is getting you warmed up in the shower and once I start, I am going to take my time so…"

Catherine sighed and let her head rest against his heart. His heartbeat steady and strong, just like him.

Vincent got Catherine comfortable, started the coffee and built a fire. It was a good thing Catherine was not a beast because she would have known how nervous he was, his heart was racing as he brought the coffee to her, he could delay no longer.

"I haven't told you everything about the night your Mom was killed."

Catherine's eye widened but she sipped her coffee and listened.

"You know your Mom was on the right side of Muirfield. When she found out what was going on, they tried to silence her and I saved her life. She helped me escape Afghanistan. When we got back to NY I was in hiding. I had not contacted JT yet and your Mom was helping me adjust to life back here.

Vincent ran his hand over his head and licked his lips.

I stayed close to your Mom keeping tabs on her, making sure she was safe. That night in the woods, I was tracking your Mom, but I arrived too late.

At the mention of her Mother's murder Catherine's breath hitched and her pulse raced, Vincent touched her and ran his hand up and down her arm, soothing her.

"I heard you call out and found you just in time, the beast kicked in and killed those men, without thought or regret. After the threat was gone, I was exhausted, I was trying to get back to being me, and it took me longer back then to recover. I stood there, with you looking up at me and I could tell you were not afraid of me. You were scared and you were in shock, but it was not because of me. I wanted to reach out and comfort you, something in me responded to you, but I was afraid so I ran."

"After your Mom died, I didn't have anyone to help, so I sought out JT. He helped me get settled and we started trying to find a cure. But I could not get you out of my mind and everyone once in a while I would check on you to make sure you were ok."

Catherine was quiet. She knew that Vincent had watched over her for years, but the realization that he knew her Mother…..

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Vincent looked at Catherine, afraid that she would not be able to forgive him for lying to her all this time.

"I didn't tell you all this when we first met, because I could see how driven you are. I knew if I told you that I knew your Mother and that Murfield had killed her, or that I was too late to save her. You might have gone after them with a vengeance and I had already lost so much to Murfield, I did not want to lose you too."

Vincent's voice dropped off with the last sentence. He looked at her, waiting for her judgment, waiting for her to get angry with him for once again making decisions for her, instead of with her.

Catherine set down her coffee and scooched over to him, crawling up into his lap. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him. Cupping the back of his neck she said.

"I understand….." At his incredulous look, she explained. "I can recognize that I was obsessed by my Mother's murder and I would not have listened to anything you told me back then about how dangerous Murfield was, I would have charged in and probably gotten myself killed along with you."

She kissed him again

"What you have told me doesn't really change anything, I am glad my Mom helped you and I am sorry that you have been carrying around the pain of not being able to save her, but you saved me that night Vincent. You have been saving me ever since."

Vincent was so relived, he was stunned. He stared at Catherine, marveling at the miracle in his arms. He pulled her to him, she burrowed her face in his neck.

"There is one more thing, something I didn't put together at first, You Mom told me while we were in Afghanistan that she was doing this to protect her daughters, at the time I thought she meant in general in terms of the war and what not. Then later back here in NY she mentioned it again. I was so caught up in just trying to survive, I didn't think to ask her more. I am sure she was trying to tell me something. It wasn't until I realized that these people are after you that it all came back to me."

Catherine pulled back.

"Why after me, this all makes no sense."

Vincent shook his head.

"I don't know, but you have always had an effect on me, from that first night in the woods I have been drawn to you. They wiped my memory trying to keep me from you and even that didn't work."

Catherine clutched at Vincent, the memories of the last year too painful to face. His kidnapping, finding him and having him not remember her, shooting him, Tori, those wounds were still fresh.

"What do we do now?"

Catherine whispered into his neck, she was shaking.

Vincent tightened his arms around her.

"I don't know, but I promise you we will figure this out together."

Vincent held her a moment, then picked her up and headed for the shower.

He turned the water on and turned back to Catherine. He unwound her from the blanket and removed her clothing piece by piece. His heart was pounding, his eyes burning as he looked at her. She moved toward him and lifted his shirt off over his head. Her hands tracing the contours of his chest. She leaned forward and placed light kisses on his chest. Her hair tickling his abdomen. Her hands reached for his belt and she deftly unbuckled it and pulled the buttons loose on his pants. Her hands followed his jeans as they pooled on the floor. He stepped out of them and she went to her knees in front of him. Catherine looked up at him, he was looking back down at her, his gaze heated her and she wanted nothing so much as she wanted him in her mouth. She cupped his sac in her hands, loving the heavy weight of him. The tip was glistening, she licked it savoring the taste of him. Vincent growled and shoved his hands in her hair. Guiding her to him, he held himself at the entrance to her mouth. Her hands came up to grip his and she opened her mouth to him. As he slid into her hot mouth he closed his eyes. Catherine moaned and the vibration worked through him, he began thrusting gently into her mouth. Catherine took him in, her cheeks hollowed with suction and her tongue flicking his head as he withdrew. Vincent arched his head back as Catherine worked him. Her hands reached around to cup his ass, he let her set the pace of his thrusting. Every muscle in his body was strained, Catherine increased her pace his balls tightening. He came with a roar, his eyes glowing as he shot into her throat, Catherine greedily swallowing him.

Catherine slowly rose up pressing herself against Vincent. He was breathing heavily, she placed her hands on his face and when he opened his eyes, they were human again.

He looked at her in wonder. She never ceased to amaze him. She smiled at him as she ran her hands through his hair. He lowered his head to take her mouth. He can taste himself there. That turned him on again and he was instantly hard for her. He was desperate to bury himself in her, but he wanted to take his time. Things are so new between them, so much has happened, he wants to erase all of the hurt and leave only pleasure.

Vincent kisses grew urgent, he lifted her up, pressing her body against his. She angled her head to kiss him deeper. He walked with her and lifted them both up into the shower. He put her back against the water, warming her. His tongue continued to drive her crazy as he licked the inside of her mouth. Kissing Vincent was an act of love all by itself, he consumed her. He trailed kisses down her neck, stopping to gently suck on her pulse as it thrummed in his mouth. Catherine's head arched back causing the water to run down between them.

Vincent turned her around and grabbed the shampoo, he washed her hair, massaging her head. Catherine's eyes rolled back into her head, Vincent's hands were so strong and as he massaged her head, she imagined those hands moving elsewhere. As if able to read her thoughts, Vincent's hands followed the soapy bubbles, running down her shoulders, her lower back and into the cleft of her ass. Catherine's breath caught as Vincent's finger slid between her cheeks, his other hand coming around to the front and following the water around her breasts. He flicked her nipples as the stood hard and ready for his mouth. His hand moved lower across her stomach and he flattened his hand there as he pulled her against him. She could feel how hard he was for her, his cock riding along her ass.

"I love you Catherine."

Vincent says, holding her tight against him. Catherine cannot speak, as Vincent's hand moved lower, first one finger sliding along her slit. She starts to undulate her hips, trying to pull him in deeper. He lowers his head to kiss the back of her neck, his tongue making its way to her ear, where he delicately circles it with his tongue. He slides another finger along her seam, ringing her opening, even with the water he can tell that she is soaking wet for him. She whimpers as he inserts one finger, his other hand comes around to tug on her nipples and she arches her back and moans his name. "Vincent"

Catherine's skin is heated, both from the water and from Vincent's touch. He circles her clit, applying pressure while his other hand continues pumping into her. She is panting now, back arched, drawn tight as a bow string. He bites down on her shoulder and squeezes her clit between his thumb and forefinger, Catherine cries out as her orgasm hits, she clamps down on his hand and her sex squeezes his fingers. He keeps up the pressure until she goes limp in his arms. His tongue soothes the spot where he nipped her and he smiles, loving how she comes apart for him.

He turns her around, she is spent and the only thing holding her up is his arms. She lifts her head and looks at him, her eyes glassy and satisfied. Her breathing is slowly returning to normal and she puts her arms around his neck and they touch foreheads, breathing each other in.

Tears form in her eyes and her words are choked with emotion.

"God! I missed you Vincent…..I love you so much…I…."

She doesn't get the chance to finish, Vincent kisses her and picks her up and carries her out of the shower and lays her down on the bed.

He takes the towel and dries her off, admiring the strength in her, she is tiny but so fierce. Her lips are swollen from his kisses and her skin is pink from the heat of the shower. Her eyes are limpid pools following his every move. After he has dried her off, he crawls up her body and settles himself between her thighs. He hold his weight off of her with one arm, the other cups her chin to lift her to his kiss.

"I am never going anywhere, ever again. I promise you Catherine, nothing will separate us."

"I am afraid Vincent, I could not survive losing you again, make me forget Vincent, for a little while, just make me forget."

Catherine pulls Vincent's mouth to hers and kisses him hard. She slides her tongue into her mouth and slides it along his tongue, flicking it along the roof of his mouth. He growls as he reaches around her to lift her up to him. The action arches her back and presents her breasts to him. He tears himself away from her mouth and ravishes her breasts. Licking and nipping them, lathing them with his tongue. Catherine runs her hands through his hair, holding him to her. He runs his hands down her side and lifts her leg, opening her even wider. As he moves his hand up her inner thigh, he can feel the heat coming off her. Her soft feminine tissues are already swollen from his earlier attention. She moves her hips beckoning to him.

"I need you inside me Vincent….please."

Vincent grasps himself in hand and gently places the head of his penis against her. Feeling him there, Catherine moves down on him, taking him in. He groans at the feeling of her hot wet core surrounding him. Catherine moans at the feeling of him filling her up. He lifts her leg and moves into her farther, until he is seated to the hilt. He stills.

"Catherine look at me…." He whispers.

Catherine opens her eyes and sees Vincent looking at her.

"Keep your eyes open, I want you to see how you make me feel, I want to see you while I take you."

Catherine keeps her eyes on Vincent as he starts to thrust inside of her. She wants to arch her head back and moan, but her eyes are glued to him. He is so powerful, she runs her hands along his arms. The brute strength in those arms, veins standing out. He can be so gentle with her, he leashes so much of his power for her. He is looking at her as he pumps in and out. His eyes looking through her into her soul. He lowers his head and kisses her. Their mouths open, hearts pounding, chests heaving, tongues fliting back and forth with each other. Their eyes finding each other as she rises to meet him. Catherine can tell he is holding back from her.

"Let go Vincent…I know you won't hurt me…..let go."

Catherine keeps her eyes on Vincent as he unleashes the beast. His cock swells within her, she can feel him growing larger. His eyes turn golden as his muscles bulk and the spidery veins run close to the surface, he pounds into her, she is strong and meets him thrust for thrust, the sensation that hits her as he hits her clit, over and over and over, has her panting along with him.

Vincent finishes with a roar as he empties himself into her again. The sight of him coming undone in her arms, of the trust he has in her to let himself go, brings Catherine another orgasm, its waves pulsing through her.

Exhausted they collapse into a heap on the bed, Vincent flops onto his back and pulls Catherine into his arms. She falls asleep cradled in his arms, safe.

Catherine wakes to Vincent thrashing in bed. She jumps out of bed and turns on the light, he is tangled up in the sheets and fighting them, like he is in combat, he yells out her name and as she watches he transforms into a beast and shreds the sheets. She is pressed up against the wall, afraid to get to close, she knows it can be dangerous to wake someone from a nightmare too quickly.

"Vincent!"

She calls his name.

"Vincent wake up…..Vincent!...Vincent your safe!"

The beast lifts his head and sees Catherine cowering in the corner. As soon as she makes eye contact with him he calms down. He drops his head, looking ashamed.

Catherine moves toward him with her arms out wide, palms up, trying to be as non-threatening as she can.

"Vincent…its ok Vincent."

She keeps getting closer to him, he stands there staring at her, chest heaving. When she gets close enough to touch him, she raises her hands to his face and cups his cheek.

"Hey…it's me Vincent, its ok…come back to me Vincent."

At her touch the beast recedes and Vincent returns. He looks shattered…..broken.

He looks around the room and then back at her. He leans away from her touch, jumping off the bed he clears to the other side of the room.

"Oh God, Catherine…..I am so sorry…..Are you all right?" He has a panicked look on his face and Catherine senses that he wants to flee.

"Vincent I am fine, you just had a nightmare. Nothing got hurt."

He looks at the bed and then back at her.

"Well nothing that can't be replaced…..I am fine Vincent, I was just frightened for you. Can you tell me what happened?" Catherine gestures to him to sit on the bed. He perches right at the edge and she can tell that he is afraid to get to close to her.

"I had a nightmare about the time I was held captive. They were electrocuting me with a cattle prod and asking me about you. I refused to cooperate with them, they would shock me, I would go down and then get back up, the longer it went on the longer it took for me to recover. They threatened to find you anyway and talked about all the vile things they were going to do to you. I lost it at that point and turned beast, until they tranquilized me."

He ran his hands across his face and through his hair.

"I should have told you about my nightmares, I had them a lot when we were apart, as the memories returned, but I had not had one since Valentine's, I got so caught up in being with you again that I put you danger."

Catherine launched herself at him and thankfully due to his beast like reflexes he caught her before she knocked him off the bed. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

"I am so sorry this happened to you Vincent…you don't have to hide anything from me, you didn't hurt me."

"Maybe not this time…but there is no telling what my beast would have done if you had stayed in that bed." He said, pointing at the shredded sheets.

Catherine looked at the bed and then back at Vincent. Her heart broke for him, after everything he had been through he deserved some peace. She had no idea he'd had nightmares about his time in captivity, she could not imagine what they would have done to him, just thinking about him being captive hollowed her out. She looked into his eyes and told him.

"We will figure this out…together, Vincent, you don't have to do this alone, promise me you won't pull away from me."

Vincent looked at Catherine, she was so fierce and protective of him….. she could be soft and pliant beneath him, but so strong and brave when it came to protecting him.

He touched his forehead to hers.

"Together…I promise."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Vincent and Catherine managed to get a few more hours of uninterrupted sleep. After stopping for coffee, they meet up with everyone at JT's.

JT immediately takes charge.

"I think the first thing we have to do, is find out what this gem can do. Both on Catherine and you Vincent."

Vincent is not keen on being anyone's guinea pig, but the more they know the better off they will be.

"Sounds like a good idea, but I am not putting that collar around my neck!"

JT hands up exclaims.

"Whoa buddy I don't think that will be necessary, after the hostage situation at the precinct, we already know you can't beast out while holding it. I wonder if it does anything else."

Vincent cocked his head to the side.

"Like what?"

JT explained.

"I wonder if it makes you susceptible to suggestion. Cat told you to get rid of the necklace that night, did you do it because you believed her or did you do it because you had no choice?"

Vincent looked at Catherine, remembering how angry they were at each other just a short time ago. She had come through for him that night and that was really the start of his journey back to her.

Catherine felt the weight of Vincent's gaze and wondered what he was thinking. It was not too long ago that they were at odds. The night she was taken hostage was the first time he acted like the old Vincent, he came back to save her and all the hostages, he'd trusted her to protect him and once again he had saved her life. She stepped toward him.

"No time like the present…. JT, hand me the gem."

JT handed over the necklace. Vincent looked at it and deadpanned.

"I can tell you I have nothing to wear that with."

Everyone laughed and Vincent placed the necklace around his wrist. He attempted to call to his beast, but nothing happened.

"Well I definitely can't beast out with this thing on. Someone want to order me around a bit?"

No one moved.

Tess finally got up enough courage to ask.

"Vincent! Drop and give me 15…..but take off your shirt first….."

That got everyone laughing. Vincent smiled and put his arm around Tess.

"I could but I don't think your boyfriend would appreciate the competition."

JT rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Well I guess we have the answer to the control issue. So all the gem does for you is prevent your beast from expressing itself."

JT took the necklace from Vincent and turned to Catherine.

"Your turn."

Catherine looked at the necklace. She wanted to take it, but she didn't. She stood there staring at it. She could not explain it, but for some reason she did not want to take it. She looked up at her friends who were all looking back to her. Eyebrows raised and questioning.

Tess asked.

"Cat, what is wrong?"

Catherine answered.

"I know this sounds crazy, but I don't want to touch it. I can't explain it." She continues to stare at the necklace."

Tess takes it from JT.

"Look it's just a piece of jewelry, it doesn't do anything to me. I don't feel any different." Tess holds the necklace out to Catherine.

Vincent is watching her and can sense how agitated she is, her heart is racing and she has broken out in a sweat. Catherine struggles to swallow, her mouth suddenly dry. She reaches for it.

"WAIT"

Catherine's hand stops just before she touches the necklace. Vincent turns to JT.

"Something is going on, Cat's heart rate is off the charts. He turns to Tess. "Get the necklace away from her."

Tess backs away and the farther away she gets, Vincent can sense Catherine calming.

"Wow, I can feel the difference already." Catherine is calm again.

JT looks surprised. He checks with Sam and can see the wheels turning. Sam gets an idea. Racing over to the shackle and chain, he brings it under the microscope. He examines it.

Dana is not surprised.

"Catherine, I told you that the gem was connected to you, maybe it's more than just a family connection."

Vincent takes Catherine as far across the room from the gem as he can. His concern for her is palpable.

"Tell me what you felt."

Catherine puts her hand on Vincent's arm. She can see how concerned he is for her.

"It was weird, it made my heart race and my mouth dry, and it didn't feel dangerous, just powerful. I was not afraid, Vincent, just surprised. Does that make any sense?"

Vincent smiled, "Does anything ever make any sense with us?" He kissed her.

Desire swamped through Catherine, Vincent's kisses were like oxygen, infusing her system with energy. She wanted to crawl up into his strong arms and have him blur away with her. Their reconciliation was recent and she needed much more time alone with him, to get back to where they were before his kidnapping. She was also worried about what he had been through, his nightmares scared her. She would talk to JT and see what he thought. Turning her thoughts back to the gem, Catherine took Vincent by the hand and approached JT and Sam.

"I am really OK, it just freaked me out a minute. Are you finding anything?"

Sam is showing JT something with the chain and they are both clearly excited. Tess and Dana exchange a look, they both understand the men in their lives and there is something adorable when they get all geeked up about a discovery.

Catherine raises her voice.

"Guys, I don't mean to break up the nerd love fest here, but can you tell me what is going on!"

JT and Sam are too excited to be offended. JT yields the floor to Sam, since it is his discovery.

"The chain or leash looks like it was designed to" He searches for the right word. "Channel, energy from the gem to the person holding the leash. Look here…'

He rolls the leash around and they can see a fine indentation running from the collar into the handle.

"Not to get all science fictiony on this, but if the gem has the ability to control beasts, maybe it has properties that allow it to be controlled by someone as well. He looks excitedly at Catherine. "This may explain why you have a physiological reaction to it."

Vincent is looking at them both, eyes narrowed.

"So you think it would be safe for Catherine?"

Sam did not know Vincent as well as JT and had a moment of fear. If something happened to Catherine, what would Vincent do? "Well…I…..it should be ok." His voice dropped off.

That was not exactly filling Vincent with confidence. He stared down at Sam, letting the beast show through a little. "Maybe you should do some more tests, before you try it out on Catherine."

Catherine was not letting Vincent get all caveman on her. "Enough, Vincent…..Sam he would not hurt you, he is just teasing." She shot Vincent a look, daring him to argue with her. "Let's see what this gem does."

Vincent however remains unconvinced and is determined to protect her no matter how foolish she acts.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He holds out his hand to her. His expression one of concern.

Sighing and dropping her shoulders, Catherine puts her hand in his as he leads her into the vault. Vincent closes the door to give them some privacy.

The first thing he does is press her up against the security deposit boxes and kiss her…deeply, passionately and thoroughly. Breathing deeply he pulls back and places his forehead against hers.

"You are killing me."

Catherine is still pinned against the wall by his body, his arms on either side of her head. One hand come up to curl around his arm and with the other she reaches between them and places it on his heart. She can feel it pounding.

"Vincent I am going to be ok, everyone is right here with us, and what are you so afraid of?"

Vincent closes his eyes, briefly letting the nightmare return to him. The insults his captor's hurled at him, the threats they made to Catherine. Her Father had been responsible for his capture. He knew that Catherine loved him and that he in turn loved her. He claimed his agenda was to protect her from beasts, but then why put Vincent back into play in NYC?

I am afraid, that this gem will change you, or hurt you. Your Father told you that everything he did was to protect you from beasts, from me. But why did he release me back into New York?" He shook his head. "Yes it's a big city, but you're a cop, we ran across each other once, why take a risk that you would find me. He had to know that you were still looking for me. If he really wanted to protect you from me, why not send me far away from here? Somewhere nothing would trigger any memories for me. It doesn't make sense. Does he know about the gem, does he know what it can do? Is this all just a big set up to get to you?"

Catherine is quiet a moment, trying to take everything Vincent said in.

"You may be right, but Vincent we have to know what the gem does, if we are going to put an end to all this. As for my Father's motivation…I have given up trying to figure him out. I am also not going to live my life afraid of everything. Finding the people responsible for creating beasts…that is what I want to focus on. We need to make sure that you are safe and that Sam and Dana are safe. That is who we are Vincent, we can't walk away from them and hide away in some remote cabin forever."

Catherine places both her hands on Vincent's face and kisses him tenderly.

"Trust me Vincent, trust yourself…I know you will protect me if needed."

Vincent closes his eyes, letting go of a huge sigh, he says.

"Your right…Let's do this!"

While Vincent and Catherine are in the vault. Sam and Dana along with JT and Tess are also talking about the gem. Tess is also concerned for her friend.

"How do you know this won't hurt her?"

Sam responds.

"If the gem is a family heirloom, like Dana thinks it is, it doesn't make sense that it would hurt her."

JT offers his two cents as well.

"Tess, we would never let anything harm Catherine, Sam is right, if she has a connection with the gem, it's not going to hurt her."

Tess then asks.

"What about Vincent….will Cat hurt Vincent because of this gem? Because I don't need to tell you that she would never forgive herself if she hurt him."

Both Sam and JT are stunned speechless. This was something they had not thought of. They looked at each other and then back at Tess.

"I have no idea." They both respond at the same time. Sam then turns to Dana.

"Do you think you could find more info on the gem and its connection to Cat?"

"I can try, but the last time the gem was mentioned was 150 years ago when Rebecca was looking for it. I couldn't find out anything more about it."

As their friends now worried about Vincent's safely and the gem, Catherine and Vincent came out of the vault.

"All right let's do this!" Catherine says eager to see what effect the gem would have on her.

Tess fills Vincent and Cat in on their discussion about Vincent's safety and the gem.

Vincent is not about to let Catherine experiment with the gem without him in the room.

"No way…..I am staying right here….I trust you Catherine." Alluding to their conversation in the vault.

Catherine has a moment's hesitation, but realizes Vincent is right, they have to trust each other. Looking at Vincent, but speaking to her friends she says.

"Everything will be ok, let's see what the gem can do."

JT clears the room, giving Catherine some space. Catherine laughs as she stands in the middle of the room.

"JT I don't think I am going to explode!"

JT standing back about 10 feet from her with the others, shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't think you will, but you can never be too careful."

Vincent is standing in front of Catherine about 10 feet in front of her. Catherine drinks the sight of him in. He is still, barely moving a muscle, trying hard to respect her decision. He is undeniably sexy and she can't believe sometimes that he is hers. His gaze penetrates her and infuses her with a steady warmth. No matter what he will not let anything happen to her.

Tess walked up to Cat and hands her the gem.

At the first contact with her skin, Cat exhales sharply. Vincent watching her from across the room sees her eyes flash green. His own eyes yellow in response, but he does not move toward her. It is taking all his will power, but he does not go to her. Standing firm he waits.

Catherine looks at Vincent.

"I can feel it"…she breathes deeply….."It's like taking a shot at a bar, you can feel the warmth moving through your body."

Vincent nods his head at her…. that is how it felt for him during the Murfield experiments. His anxiety for her ramps up, but still he doesn't move.

Catherine looks down at the gem lying in her palm. She closes her fist around it.

"I feel strong." She raises her arms, looking at herself in wonderment. "It's powerful."

JT can't see Catherine's eyes, but he can see Vincent's. JT is watching Vincent for any sign that he would become aggressive. Vincent senses JT's worry and his eyes go hazel as Vincent asserts control over the beast.

"It's just a reaction to Catherine, JT. You can't see her but her eyes are glowing green."

Catherine's head shoots up to look at Vincent. Her eyes blaze green.

"I can see your beast. I have never seen him like this….Oh Vincent he is beautiful."

Catherine's eyes are unfocused, her breathing becomes shallow and fast, she arches her back and tilts her head. Her chest is heaving, heart pounding. Suddenly she hears Vincent's voice.

"Catherine, drop the gem now."

Hearing the command and fear in Vincent's voice, Catherine immediately drops the gem and Vincent is there scooping her up into his arms.

"I'm sorry….You scared the shit out of me….I tried…."

Catherine's arms come around Vincent.

"It's OK…..I am OK Vincent."

Vincent holds her a moment longer. Head down buried in her hair, his eyes closed. He whispers in her ear.

"I have never been so afraid for you."

Catherine pulls back so she can look into Vincent's eyes. Her hands come up to his face, she holds him there.

"I am ok….really look at me Vincent….I am fine."

He sets her down and everyone rushes at her all at once.

"What happened?"

"What did it feel like?"

Their voices are all mixed together and she can't tell who is asking the questions. Putting up her hands and stepping back away from everyone she answers them.

"It was amazing….Vincent, I could see your beast…..He is magnificent! I could see better and hear better and I felt like I could take on the world. I had all this energy and….."

JT interrupts her.

"What do you mean you can see Vincent's beast?"

Catherine answers JT but is looking at Vincent.

"It was like a shimmer….but I could see him, I could see the beast. He was regal and beautiful!"

Vincent looks decidedly uncomfortable as Catherine keeps describing his beast in such glowing terms. He is quick to point out to JT about Catherine's eyes.

"Her eyes were glowing green, the same color as the gem."

JT is shocked.

"Whoa, I did not see that coming."

Catherine is also confused.

"My eyes were glowing?"

Vincent explains.

"Yes, your eyes were glowing, just like mine, only they were green instead of yellow. I suspect that is why you could see my beast, even though I was not a beast. I have to tell you it freaked me out and to be honest, it was kinda hot too."

Catherine blushed but she was intrigued.

"I wonder what else I can do, I felt so strong." Looking at Vincent she asked him.

"Care to spar?" She arched her eyebrow at him in challenge.

Vincent rolled his eyes to JT.

"Great, now you have created a monster." Turning to Catherine. "I am not sure that is a good idea just yet. Your pulse was elevated, your breathing was labored, and I ordered you to drop it because I thought you were going to have a stroke!"

Catherine bristled at the term 'order', she raised her eyes at him, arching her eyebrows and putting her hands on her hips. Vincent tried to cut her off before she could get too worked up.

"Look, I am sorry, I am just freaking out right now, because ten minutes ago my girlfriends eyes were glowing and while you all may be used to it, this is kinda new for me."

Catherine walked over to the gem and picked it up again. She concentrated on staying calm. Standing still and using tactical breathing she allowed the power of the gem to flow through her, but not control her. Turning toward Vincent.

"Vincent…..How about now…am I glowing?"

Vincent turned around. "Dammit Catherine"…He stopped he could feel her calm. His fear for her lessened….a little.

"No you seem fine…can you see my beast?"

Catherine looked at him. The way she was staring at him sent heat rushing through him. As she looked him up and down, wherever her eyes roamed, heat followed. Vincent struggled to remember there were other people in the room. He licked his lips and swallowed with difficulty.

"I can see him, but I can also turn it off…..This is just about concentration, I didn't know what to expect at first, now that I do…" Catherine smiles at Vincent. "Don't worry Vincent, I am fine."

All of a sudden all of the worry Vincent had for Catherine is gone. He smiles, which looks weird considering how worked up he is…..was?

"OK" He says putting his hands in his pockets.

JT and Tess are dumbfounded.

"OK…OK…..Vincent how is this all OK?"

Sam is the one to figure it out.

"Catherine is holding the gem…

Everyone is confused.

"So?"

Sam smiles.

"Catherine is holding the gem and just told Vincent not to worry…So now he is not worried!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Catherine dropped the gem, like it was on fire. She backed away from it, stumbling into Tess. "Whoa Cat, it's fine." Catherine stopped and got control of herself. "No it's not ok."

Vincent knows Catherine so well, he knows she is freaking out at the thought of controlling him. He has been experimented on, isolated, kidnapped, and tortured. Having control over him would be horrific to her.

Catherine looks at Vincent an agonizing look on her face. "I would never…."

Vincent moves quickly to her side and envelops her in his arms. "I know you would never use it against me, Catherine. But it might be very helpful in controlling other beasts. Kissing the top of her head, "You could control them, we could help beasts, without having to hurt them. And that is a good thing."

Catherine does not see it that way. "I don't want to be responsible for controlling people, that seems…wrong." She looked up at Vincent.

He took her face in his hands. "Helping beasts without having to kill them? Helping people gain control over their beast instead of being controlled? Those are all good things Catherine."

Catherine pulls away from Vincent, shaking her head. "But Vincent, just the fact that it exists is wrong…. if this jewel controls you then there are probably other ones out there that do the same thing. In the wrong hands…you could be controlled and made to do things…Oh my God, we have to destroy it!"

At the same time Sam and JT speak up. "Whoa Whoa…..Let's not be too hasty"….. "I agree", JT turns and looks at Sam. "We need to do more research, we don't know if this is just unique to you and Vincent or if you can really control other beasts."

JT can see that Catherine is repulsed by the idea that she or that anyone can control Vincent. But Vincent has a point, if they can figure out a way to help people with this gem and Cat's talent….. that would make all of this worth it. "Cat I understand your fear, but the gem is no different that the gun you carry every day. It is a tool and it can be used for good or evil depending on who is controlling it. The gem is no different."

Tess smiled and shrugged her shoulders, leave it to JT to be the voice of reason. "He is right Cat, it's all about how you used it, what your intent is when you use it. This could be the difference between Vincent having to kill an out of control beast or saving someone."

Catherine looks at Vincent. He smiles at her, trying to show her that he is not worried. "Look JT and Sam need to do some more research, we need to find out exactly how it works and if it works on more than just me. But we don't have to do it all tonight."

Vincent looks at his friends, both old and new. He reflects back to a year ago when it was just him and JT, for 10 years it had been just him and JT. Now he had Tess, Dana and Sam as well as JT and most importantly he had Catherine. After everything they had been through, surely the gem was a good thing. The beasts that were after Sam could be dealt with and hopefully lead them back to whomever was controlling them. They could get some answers and maybe just maybe he and Catherine could find some peace….

JT offers Sam and Dana a place to stay.

"I have plenty of room and this place is off the radar. Plus it's a short commute to work for Sam." JT smiles conspiratorially. Sam and Dana agree that this is the safest spot for them right now. Dana wants to do some more research on Rebecca and the gem, so she heads to her office. Everyone is watching their backs in case whomever is behind the attack on Sam tries again.

Cat and Vincent leave JT's and head back to her apartment. Catherine walks into her apartment and just stands there for a moment. She takes a deep breath, holds it and the exhales. After finding her center, she walks into the apartment. "This place has always chased away the chaos. It has always been my safe haven. I did not realize until I walked in here, how important that is."

Vincent holds her in his arms and kisses her. Putting his forehead against hers he whispers. "You are my safe haven. You calm the chaos and I have always known it….I am sorry it took me so long to remember it."

Catherine sighs and wraps her arms around him. "Sorry I freaked out back there, with everything you have gone through, the thought of anyone controlling you just knocked me back a bit. But your right, using the gem can be a good thing." She looked up at him smiling.

Vincent lowered his head and captured her mouth, his kiss at first was soft and gentle, trying to infuse her with calm. However it did not take long before the kiss turned into something more. As the stress melted away, Catherine clung to Vincent. As she pressed against him, Vincent's pulse raced, he could sense Catherine's rising arousal. Picking her up in his arms his assault on her mouth continued as he walked them to her bedroom. As he crossed the threshold, he stopped, raised his eyebrows and looking at her asked. "You don't still have the gem on you do you?"

Catherine laughed her head tilting back, Vincent thought no sound was sweeter. "No I left it at JT's, why are you afraid of what I might make you do with it?" Vincent lowered his head to her exposed throat, kissing and nipping his way up to her ear. "You can be awfully demanding and I may need all my beastly strength to keep up with you."

Catherine's eyes narrowed, the corner of her lip lifted a bit. She leaned in to kiss him…"I knew there was a reason I loved your beast."

Displaying mock shock Vincent laughed. "So you only love my beast do you?"

Turning suddenly serious, Catherine looked into Vincent's eyes, "I love ALL of you."


End file.
